Vukojičić and nervousness in the courtroom: When justice loses its compass

By: Amina Čorbo-Zećo

Mladen Vukojičić was born in 1979 in Rogatica. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Novi Sad in 2003, and passed the bar exam in 2010 in Sarajevo. After graduating, he worked as an intern at the Basic Court Sokolac, and then at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska.

In July 2014, by Decision of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, he was appointed prosecutor at the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton, and on May 20, 2021, he became a prosecutor at the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition, Vukojičić also acts as an educator for the Council of Europe for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the field of high-tech crime.

However, Vukojičić became known for his involvement in the Dobrovoljačka case, an indictment copied from Belgrade and signed by him and Chief Prosecutor Milanko Kajganić. The Dobrovoljačka case had already been concluded before the Hague Tribunal, where extensive investigations determined that the May 3rd convoy in Dobrovoljačka Street was a legitimate military target. Courts in Vienna and London had also previously dismissed charges, including the arrest of Jovan Divjak and Ejup Ganić on warrants from Serbia. Nevertheless, this case was reopened in BiH, which many legal experts see as an attempt at historical revisionism.

At the last hearing, when Slobodan Jakovljević testified via video link from Belgrade, Vukojičić showed visible nervousness before the defense.

Lawyer Mirna Avdibegović repeatedly raised objections due to questions that were crucial for clarifying the witness's duties in the IV Corps, which clearly irritated the prosecutor. As the defense presented contradictions and inconsistencies, Vukojičić tapped his feet, clearly showing tension in the courtroom.

Such dynamics emphasize the importance of a professional and objective approach by the prosecution – whose duty is to establish the truth, not to reinterpret it under political or emotional pressure. The question is why the BiH Prosecutor's Office has not yet thoroughly analyzed previous attempts to prosecute the accused, including the positions of the Hague prosecutors who rejected evidence forwarded from Belgrade via Banja Luka in 2003.

Judge Braco Stupar, who ruled on the confirmation of the indictment, rejected the objections of ten accused, although it is suspected that he did not even thoroughly review the materials before making the decision. Thus, the heroes of the defense of BiH were sent to long-term prosecution, while the public had no insight into new evidence, nor was there any reaction from the competent authorities.

Particularly concerning is the way Vukojičić and the Prosecutor's Office treat witnesses like Milosav Gagović, a former high-ranking JNA officer, who was a defense witness for war criminals in The Hague. Gagović claimed in his testimony before the court in Podgorica that "Sarajevo closed itself off," which further burdens and politicizes the process.

All of this indicates that the Dobrovoljačka case, instead of shedding light on historical events and ensuring justice, is turning into a process of historical revisionism, where truth is lost in political and judicial games.