SIBENIK, Aug 26 (Hina) - Instead of a verdict being passed in the case of the murder of Milica and Nikola Damjanic in August 1995, the presiding judge in the trial, Jadranka Biga Milutin, adjourned the main hearing until September 10,
11 and 12 this year because a juror judge did not show up at Wednesday's hearing.
SIBENIK, Aug 26 (Hina) - Instead of a verdict being passed in the
case of the murder of Milica and Nikola Damjanic in August 1995, the
presiding judge in the trial, Jadranka Biga Milutin, adjourned the
main hearing until September 10, 11 and 12 this year because a juror
judge did not show up at Wednesday's hearing. #L#
The main hearing will be repeated because, Judge Milutin said, the
juror judge, Branko Nimac, did not attend the session when the
verdict was to have been passed. Judge Nimac excused himself
because he had to attend a medical examination in Zagreb and so
Judge Milutin passed a decision under which a new juror judge would
be appointed and the main hearing repeated.
Four former Croatian soldiers from the 113th Brigade, Boze Bacelic,
Ante Mamic, Luka Vuka and Jurica Ravlic are being tried before the
Sibenik County Court for crimes against civilians.
Justice Minister Ingrid Anticevic-Marinovic said that Judge Branko
Nimac not attending Wednesday's scheduled sentencing was a
precedent. In a statement for Croatian Television Wednesday night,
Minister Anticevic-Marinovic announced that the State Prosecution
would certainly conduct an investigation into the matter, that is,
to verify if Judge Nimac could have postponed his medical
appointment in Zagreb on the very day that the verdict was to have
been passed.
(hina) sp it