In their closing arguments today, the ex-members of the Vukovar Territorial Defence (TO) and the Leva Supoderica paramilitary unit reiterated they were not guilty and that they had been falsely accused by the two witnesses who turned state's evidence. They said these witnesses were the real perpetrators and that their false accusations were attempts to buy their own freedom and avoid prosecution.
The main defendant, Miroljub Vujovic, ex-commander of the Vukovar TO, said in his closing argument that "Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan (assassinated in Belgrade in 2000) did everything, on the orders of the one-time chief of the JNA (Yugoslav Army) Military Security Service, Aleksandar Vasiljevic".
Although some of the accused said they sympathised with the victims' families, the only one who showed emotions in his closing argument was Ivan Atanasijevic, who admitted during the main hearing a month ago to killing one prisoner at Grabovo because, as a Croat, he had been forced to do so.
"I am the only Croat who walked out of Ovcara and Grabovo alive," Atanasijevic said today.
The Ovcara trial began on 9 March 2004. Charges were brought against 20 ex-members of the Vukovar TO and Leva Supoderica, but during the trial two were granted status of state's evidence witness, one committed suicide a month before the trial, while proceedings against Milan Bulic were separated because of his poor health. Sasa Radak, who was arrested subsequently, was put on a separate trial last spring.
On Monday the panel of judges will deliver a verdict in the case of TO commander and deputy commander Vujovic and Stanko Vujanovic, TO members Jovica Peric, Atanasijevic, Predrag Madzarac, Goran Mugosa, Vujo Zlatar, Miroslav Djankovic and Milan Vojinović, as well as Leva Supoderica commander Milan Lanzucanin and members Predrag Milojevic, Marko Ljuboja, Djordje Katic, Predrag Dragovic, Djordje Sosic and Nada Kalaba.
Deputy war crimes prosecutor Dusan Knezevic asked the maximum penalty, 20 years in jail, for all accused.