SIBENIK, Sept 10 (Hina) - The re-trial of the main hearing in the war crimes trial four former Croatian homeland war soldiers, indicted for the murder of the Damjanic couple in 1995 resumed before the Sibenik County Court on
Tuesday.
SIBENIK, Sept 10 (Hina) - The re-trial of the main hearing in the war
crimes trial four former Croatian homeland war soldiers, indicted
for the murder of the Damjanic couple in 1995 resumed before the
Sibenik County Court on Tuesday. #L#
The trial is being repeated because the president of the Sibenik
County Court, Sanibor Vuletin, instigated proceedings against a
lay judge, Branko Nimac who did not turn up to the reading of the
verdict against Bozo Bacelic, Ante Mamic, Luka Vuka and Jurica
Ravlic in the initial trial. Vuletin has requested that Nimac be
relieved of his duty and a new lay judge - Ivo Martinovic -
appointed.
The hearing is being presided by Judge Jadranka Biga Milutin who
with the approval of the prosecution and defence shortened the
presentation of evidence.
The first indictee, Bozo Bacelic, as the then commander of the unit
of the scout corps of the Croatian Army 113th brigade along with
three other defendants who were recruits, is charged with the
murder of Nikola and Milica Damjanic on August 11, 1995 after which
they burnt their bodies during a military clearing action in the
village of Prukljane.
The defence has requested to hear new witnesses however, the panel
of judges objected to this.
The defendants did not repeat their defence but just said that they
were innocent with an objection to the panel of judges for not
allowing new witnesses who could prove their innocence to testify.
Deputy County Prosecutor Zivana Beros-Dodig repeated her closing
argument from the main hearing stressing that Bacelic, Mamic, Vuko
and Ravlic committed the war crime they are charged with.
While the main hearing took place, a protest was organised in
support of the defendants in front of the court house. The protest
was reported to the police and about a hundred residents of the
Cetina region turned up. They carried Croatian flags, and t-shirts
with pictures of the accused reading "Heroes Not War Criminals" and
posters stating "We Will Also Try You".
Ante Smoljo, the main organiser of the protest and the president of
the Association of Croatian Volunteer Homeland War Soldiers from
Sinj stated that the intention was to warn the Croatian government
that Croatian defenders were being tried while Greater-Serbian
aggressors were not and that the entire trial was rigged because
scapegoats needed to be found to satisfy daily political events.
The trial will resume on Wednesday with the closing argument of the
defence.
(hina) sp it ha