SPLIT, Nov 18 (Hina) - The trial of eight former military policemen accused of war crimes at Split's military prison Lora in 1992 continued at the Split County Court on Monday with the presentation of closing arguments by the
prosecution and defence attorneys for two indictees, which lasted almost six hours.
SPLIT, Nov 18 (Hina) - The trial of eight former military policemen
accused of war crimes at Split's military prison Lora in 1992
continued at the Split County Court on Monday with the presentation
of closing arguments by the prosecution and defence attorneys for
two indictees, which lasted almost six hours. #L#
Deputy county prosecutor Michelle Squiccimarro said "it is useless
to present the closing argument because the trial chamber has
already decided on an acquittal". The president of the trial
chamber, judge Slavko Lozina, replied that Squiccimarro's claim
"constitutes an act of pressure on the court, a precedent that will
be recorded in the court annals".
Squiccimarro stated that despite the fact that it was not possible
to present all evidence during the trial because court summons had
not been timely delivered to witnesses from Yugoslavia, the
prosecution had proven that civilians, most of whom were Serbs, had
been detained without any court order and tortured at Lora.
It was also proven, the deputy prosecutor said, that two men, Gojko
Bulovic and Nenad Knezevic, had been beaten to death at Lora.
Squiccimarro pointed to the fact that some witnesses had received
threats which prompted them to change their initial statements.
Squiccimarro stated that the accused had committed war crimes by
violating the regulations of international laws of war, demanding
that they be adequately punished.
Attorneys for two indictees challenged in their closing arguments
the charges and testimonies and asked that their clients be
acquitted.
The trial resumes tomorrow with the closing arguments of other
defence attorneys.
(hina) rml sb