Verdict for crimes in Sarajevo on Thursday

After the Prosecution and the Defense of Slobodan Bogdanović and Goran Sladoje presented their closing statements, the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo scheduled the pronouncement of the verdict for Thursday, November 26th, reported BIRN, as reported by the BiH news agency Patria.

Prosecutor Nives Kanevčev stated that based on the evidence, the Trial Chamber can only conclude that Bogdanović and Sladoje are guilty.

- Witnesses convincingly speak about the facts and describe how the Bešić brothers were taken to the Jewish Cemetery and used as a human shield - stated Kanevčev.

She added that the accused were members of the military forces, and the victims were unarmed civilians.

According to the indictment, Bogdanović and Sladoje arrested, detained, and physically injured civilians from the Grbavica area from mid-June to the end of 1992.

They are accused of beating Bajro and Suad Bešić on June 13, 1992, and later taking them to the Jewish Cemetery, where Suad Bešić was killed, as well as physically abusing Rajko Simić because he was married to a woman of a different nationality.

The defense of the accused Bogdanović emphasized that there are many contradictions in the statements of the Prosecution's witnesses, and that their client should be acquitted.

- I propose to the Court to consider the statement of the victim Bajro Bešić, which he gave two days after the event. In his statement, he does not mention my client's name anywhere, but rather said that two territorial defense members arrived - said lawyer Radivoje Lazarević.

Lawyer Midhat Kočo, who is defending Sladoje, stated that the indictment is unfounded and requested an acquittal verdict.

- The Prosecution takes information from witness testimonies of those who heard but did not see anything. Sladoje helped many people and was on good terms with everyone - said Kočo.

The trial began in September 2013, reports NAP.