The Prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office of BiH issued an indictment against ten persons, members of the Army of Republika Srpska from the area of Višegrad, for war crimes committed against passengers that had been kidnapped in Štrpci in Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 27 February 1993, on a train route Belgrade-Bar.
This indictment is the result of intensive and good cooperation between the BiH Prosecutor’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office for War Crimes in Serbia, on the basis of the Cooperation Protocol.
According to the indictment, after stopping the train, the VRS kidnapped 20 people, 18 Bosniaks mainly from the area of Sandžak, citizens of Serbia and Montenegro, a person of Croat nationality and one person of Arab origin.
After the kidnapping, the victims were taken to a school in Prelovo near Višegrad, where they were tortured, abused and robbed, and then with visible injuries the victims were transported to the village of Mušići where they were killed and their bodies thrown in the Drina River.
After the war, the remains of four victims were found and identified while the remains of others are still missing.
Prosecutor of the Special Department for War Crimes in this case conducted a thorough investigation and had significant cooperation with colleagues from the Office of the War Crimes of the Republic of Serbia, which has resulted in the indictment against 10 persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia also about two months ago indictment has been filed and the proceedings have commenced against five persons indicted for the war crime in Štrpci.
The intensive and professional cooperation of prosecutor offices in BiH and Serbia resulted in the initiation and intensification of investigation and indictment after 2 years after the commission of the crime.
The prosecutor offices of the two countries, had the support and good cooperation with the families of the victims of this crime, which for more than two decades have been searching for the truth about their loved ones and their remains.
The indictment was issued against:
1. Luka Dragičević, born 14 November 1951 in Višegrad,
2. Boban Inđić, born 22 May 1972 in Višegrad,
3. Obrad Poluga, born16 October 1971. godine in Višegrad,
4. Novak Poluga, born 14 November 1963 in Višegrad,
5. Dragan Šekarić, born 04 November 1969 in Goražde,
6. Oliver Krsmanović, born 13 August 1963 in Višegrad,
7. Petko Inđić, born 26 August 1960 in Višegrad,
8. Radojica Ristić, born 21 December 1969 in Višegrad,
9. Vuk Ratković, born 14 March 1950 in Višegrad,
10. Mićo Jovičić, born 10 August 1961 in Vinkovci.
The accused are charged that as members of the Višegrad Brigade, as co-perpetrators, in violation of international law during the armed conflict, on the orders of Luka Dragičević, and the accused persons committed the unlawful taking and detention, inhumane treatment, causing great suffering and bodily harm and murder of civilians, thereby committing the criminal offense – war crimes against civilians.
The BiH Prosecutor’s Office in the indictment proposes the hearing of 51 witnesses and the indictment contains more than 100 pieces of material evidence.
The indictment has been forwarded to the BiH Court for confirmation, said the BiH Prosecutor’s Office.
(Source: Fena)
