The Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) requested the maximum prison sentence for Momcilo Tesic, who is accused of aiding in the genocide committed in Srebrenica in July 1995.
In its closing statement, the Prosecution assessed that it proved the responsibility of Tesic, a former member of the Military Police of the Vlasenica Brigade, for participating in the murders of 21 men of Bosniak nationality, who were separated from a convoy transporting civilians after the fall of Srebrenica in theplace Luke (Vlasenica municipality) on July 11th.
”The prosecution believes that there is only one conclusion, and that is the responsibility of the accused. We ask that he be sentenced to the maximum prison sentence,” said prosecutor Predrag Tomic.
The prosecutor said that on July 12th and 13th in the place Luke, members of the Vlasenica Brigade stopped convoys, while civilians brought from Potocari continued on foot towards Kladanj. He recalled the testimonies about the selection of 22 men, mostly wounded and one medical technician, as well as a group of women, some of whom were raped.
He noted that witnesses in Luke saw Vlasenica Brigade Commander Mile Kosoric, his deputy Bosko Sargic, Assistant Security Commander Milenko Komlenovic, Military Police Commander Borislav Stojisic, as well as members of the Military Police, including Tesic, and high-ranking officers of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS).
As the prosecutor said, the men were kept in the meadow in front of the school, and later they were transferred to the classroom, where they were beaten and abused by members of the Intervention Squad in the evening. He pointed to the testimonies that the men were put on the truck and that it was said that “the boss ordered them to be taken to the exchange.”
MK-1, the only one who survived the shooting, testified, as the prosecutor reminded, that there was a white-haired, albino soldier on the truck, and he identified Tesic in the photo album. He added that MK-1 managed to free himself and run away down the thorny terrain when the killings began.
The prosecutor referred to the statements that Tesic ran after this man, but that he returned, stating that he ran away. He also recalled the testimonies that Stojisic “bragged about this event in Kosoric’s office”, as well as that Tesic was willing to admit guilt but changed his mind because it was war.
Kosoric was tried with Tesic, but the proceedings against him were separated due to illness. Borislav Stojisic and Rajko Drakulic were also accused in this case at the end of 2017, but they are not available to the judicial authorities of BiH.
The closing arguments of the Defense are scheduled for September 7th, Detektor writes.
E.Dz.
