Oric Case: Lawyer Čović filed criminal charges against protected witness O1

(Patria) - The defense of Naser Oric, specifically lawyer Lejla Čović, filed criminal charges against protected witness O1, who was a key witness for the Prosecution in this proceeding, and for whom the Court of BiH confirmed that he had lied in the case against Oric and Muhić, Lejla Čović confirmed for the news agency Patria.

“At Oric’s request, I, as his lawyer, filed criminal charges,” Čović said.

We remind you that the Court of BiH issued an acquittal verdict for the wartime commander of the Army of RBiH Naser Oric and Army member Sabahudin Muhić, who were tried on charges of crimes against prisoners of war in Bratunac and Srebrenica in 1992, or for alleged crimes in the villages of Zalazje, Lolići and Kunjerac.

Witness O-1 was found to be a completely incredible witness, that he changed his statement multiple times during the entire process and that his testimony is in complete contradiction with the testimony of other witnesses, not only of the defense but also of the prosecution.

This is a witness who has been convicted 11 times for aggravated robbery and false reporting, and a warrant was issued for him due to robbery.

In his closing remarks, Oric’s defense emphasized that the Court of BiH, during the hearing of protected witness O1, had the opportunity to see that this witness was extremely incredible, primarily due to the fact, as they stated, that he changed his statements during each hearing, including the hearing in the first-instance proceedings as well as at the hearing before the Appellate Panel, “and he tried unsuccessfully to justify it with incomprehensible claims.”