Zeljko Rakic Testifies In Own Defense, Says He Didn’t Participate in Bosnian War
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Zeljko Rakic, Ranko Rakic and Marko Stankovic have been charged with killing civilian Zuhra Hasanovic in the village of Kucice in the municipality of Zavidovici at the end of August or the beginning of September 1992. According to the indictment, the defendants were members of the Bosnian Serb Army.
At today’s hearing, Zeljko Rakic said he drove his wife and grandmother to the home of relatives in Sremska Mitrovica in Serbia in late April 1992. He said he then went to Germany after International Worker’s Day on May 1, and found a job there.
“Considering the fact that I had papers that enabled me to work and live in one district only, I couldn’t leave Germany. I couldn’t even leave when my son was born in December 1992. It was hard for me. I wanted to go, but my father-in-law stopped me and promised he would bring my wife and child to me. He did that in October 1993,” Rakic said.
Rakic said he stayed in Germany until the spring of 1997. He said he didn’t participate in even a single day of war in the territory of the former Yugoslavia.
The prosecution objected to a part of Rakic’s testimony which contradicted a statement previously given by prosecution witness Rasko Husanovic, as well as material evidence it intended to include in the case file.
The defense told the court that documentation which confirmed Rakic’s claims was still being translated.
Trial chamber chair Enes Malicbegovic said he was waiting for a response from the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the authenticity of the documents.
During Ranko Rakic’s cross examination, the prosecution presented his military records as material evidence. The prosecution also objected to a portion of Rakic’s testimony which differed from testimony given by prosecution witnesses. Rakic last testified at a hearing held on October 7.
The defense presented a decision on the opening of a registry and the hiring of Rakic as one of its employees. This evidence was included in the case file.
The trial will continue on November 23.
