VUKOVAR WOMAN SENTENCED TO 4 1/2 YEARS IN PRISON ON WAR CRIMES CHARGES

VUKOVAR, Jan 21(Hina) - The County Court in Vukovar on Wednesday sentenced Ivanka Savic to four years and six months in prison, pending appeal, for denouncing Croats and other non-Serbs who had in any way been involved in the defence of this eastern Croatian town against Yugoslav army and Serb paramilitary forces in the early 1990s.#L# Savic, 78, of Vukovar, was found guilty of crimes against civilians for denouncing Croats and other non-Serbs held in the warehouse of the "Velepromet" company from October 1991 until April 1992, actively participating in the intimidation and maltreatment of the Croats, and taking pieces of furniture and other valuables from Croat-owned houses. Savic denied all the charges, describing the trial as "political and nationalistic". She said that at the time of the fall of the town in late 1991 she was in "Velepromet", but did not inform on or rob anyone. "All this is insinuation and lies," Savic said, adding that she had been expelled from Vukovar in 1992 along with Croats. Her court-appointed attorney, Ivica Macvanin, said in his closing arguments that the prosecution had failed to prove any of the charges and requested that she be acquitted. The defence and the prosecution have the right to lodge an appeal within 15 days of receipt of the judgement. (Hina) vm sb