Zorić sentenced to 15 years in prison for crimes in Zecovi near Prijedor

(Patria) - The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has sentenced Duško Zorić to 15 years in prison in a first-instance verdict for crimes against humanity in Zecovi near Prijedor.

Presiding Judge of the Trial Chamber Šaban Maksumić read out the verdict stating that on July 23, 1992, near the intersection of roads leading to the Svetinja fishpond, Zorić pointed a rifle at a group of civilians, addressed one of them with curses, and then fired a short burst of gunfire at him, as well as that he shot at other civilians and killed four more people, writes Detektor.

Regarding this count, according to Judge Maksumić, the sole surviving protected witness Z-8 gave a detailed and clear statement, stating that he heard a gunshot and that Radovan Grbić told him to run. The Chamber referred to the testimony of witness Radovan Grbić, which was read in the courtroom, according to which he was in a group with Zorić, and stated, among other things, that Zorić first shot at Idriz Brakić. They also referred to the testimony of protected witness Z-17, who stated that he saw Zorić shooting at five men, and that he was the only one shooting.

Judge Maksumić said that the testimonies were reliable and undisputed evidence that Zorić committed the act for which he was convicted.

He also clarified that the Prosecution accused Zorić of killing 13 civilians at this location, but that the Chamber, based on the evidence, determined that six people were killed in that group, and found Zorić guilty of killing five of them.

"The others were not in the group of civilians killed by the accused," said Judge Maksumić, adding, among other things, that some were killed at another location.

The Trial Chamber determined that Zorić, a former member of the Rasavci Company of the 43rd Prijedor Motorized Brigade, was certainly aware of the widespread and systematic attack on Zecovi, which was directed against the Bosniak civilian population.

He was acquitted on two counts of the indictment for crimes in the hamlet of Gradina on July 25, 1992.

"The Chamber could not establish Duško Zorić's involvement in this part beyond a reasonable doubt and therefore acquits him," said Judge Maksumić.

When determining the sentence, the Chamber stated that it took into account the manner of execution, persistence, and recklessness as aggravating circumstances, as well as Zorić's prior convictions, while his relatively younger age at the time of the commission of the crime and the fact that he is a family man were considered as mitigating factors.

Zorić's pre-trial detention has been extended, while he has been exempted from paying court costs.

The injured parties are referred to civil proceedings for their property-legal claims.

Zorić's trial began in 2015 in a case where he was indicted along with Dušan Milunić and others, but the proceedings against him were separated at the end of 2022, after he was arrested in Germany for other criminal offenses. After his extradition from Germany, his trial continued, while the proceedings against Milunić and others have since been finalized.

An appeal against this verdict is permitted to the Appellate Division of the Court of BiH.