With the reading of the indictment and the opening statement by the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the trial began for Kerim Lucarevic, accused of crimes in Sarajevo’s Dobrovoljacka Street in May 1992.
According to the indictment read by Prosecutor Mladen Vukojicic, Lucarevic is charged, in his role as Commander of the Military Police of the Territorial Defence Force of the Republic of BiH (TO BiH), with failing to take necessary and reasonable actions to punish those responsible for the killing and injuring of soldiers and civilians during an attack on a mixed convoy of soldiers and civilians employed by the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) on May 3rd, 1992, in Dobrovoljacka Street.
The indictment further accuses him of failing to take necessary and reasonable measures to prevent the physical and psychological abuse of captured JNA members and to punish the perpetrators, even though he knew or had reason to know about these crimes.
The indictment’s two counts state that, during the TO attack on the convoy of JNA soldiers and civilians, eight people, including military personnel and medical service members, were killed, and 19 others were wounded. The remaining convoy participants were disarmed, detained, and subjected to physical and psychological abuse.
The detainees were reportedly taken to the FIS building, where they suffered mental and physical abuse, as well as during their interrogation in the Presidency building and detention on the fifth floor of the Central Prison.
Lucarevic, who attended the hearing accompanied by medical personnel due to health issues, stated in court that he understood the indictment.
“But I think that this did not occur to such an extent,” the defendant added.
In his opening statement, the prosecutor said he would present evidence showing that the Dobrovoljacka convoy was not a legitimate military target, as well as evidence of the existence of an international armed conflict in BiH and Sarajevo at the time of the attack, and the status of the defendant at that time.
He explained that he would prove there was an agreement allowing the movement of the convoy, which was not in combat formation but in marching order. He added that he would provide evidence that the convoy contained a large number of civilians, as well as medical personnel clearly marked as such.
The prosecutor stated that some witness testimonies would show that all those killed in the convoy were unarmed and lying on the ground when they were killed.
Vukojicic also stated that he would prove Lucarevic had knowledge of the crimes through a clear reporting chain, took no action regarding this information, had effective control over the Military Police, and that there were adequate authorities at the time to prosecute the perpetrators.
Lucarevic’s attorney, Marsela Bajramovic, said the Defense would deliver its opening statement after the Prosecution completes the submission of evidence.
The Prosecutor’s Office of BiH previously indicted Ejup Ganic and nine other individuals for crimes in Dobrovoljacka Street, with proceedings against them currently ongoing.
The continuation of the trial will be scheduled at a later date, N1 writes.
E.Dz.
