SUD BOSNE I HERCEGOVINE СУД БОСНЕ И ХЕРЦЕГОВИНЕ THE COURT OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA Number: X-KRŽ-07/419 Date: Delivered 28 January 2011 Sent 18 March 2011 The Panel: Judge Tihomir Lukes, Presiding Judge Azra Miletić, Reporting Judge Patricia A. Whalen PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA v. RATKO BUNDALO, NEĐO ZELJAJA AND ĐORĐISLAV AŠKRABA SECOND INSTANCE VERDICT Prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Munib Halilović Defense Counsel for the Accused Ratko Bundalo: Krešimir Zubak Dražen Zubak Defense Counsel for the Accused Neđo Zeljaja: Vesna Tupajić-Škiljević Radivoje Lazarević Defense Counsel for the Accused Đorđislav Aškraba: Žiko Krunić Milorad Rašević TABLE OF CONTENTS VERDICT ...........................................................................................................................................4 R E A S O N I N G ...........................................................................................................................19 I. PROCEDURAL HISTORY ........................................................................................................19 A. FIRST INSTANCE VERDICT .................................................................................................19 B. APPEALS..................................................................................................................................20 II. GENERAL ISSUES....................................................................................................................21 III. GROUNDS OF APPEAL UNDER ARTICLE 297 OF THE CPC OF BIH: ESSENTIAL VIOLATIONS OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE .................22 A. STANDARDS OF REVIEW .............................................................................................................22 B. APPEALS OF THE ACCUSED RATKO BUNDALO AND NEĐO ZELJAJA............................................23 1. Sub-Ground One: Article 297(1)(d) of the CPC of BiH: The Defense argues that the right to a defense was violated.....................................................................................................23 2. Sub-Ground Two: Article 297(1)(i) of the CPC of BiH: The Defense argues that the Verdict is based on evidence that may not be used as the basis of a verdict under this Code ....................................................................................................................................27 3. Sub-Ground Three: Article 297(1)(j) of the CPC of BiH: The Defense argues that the charges were exceeded ........................................................................................................28 4. Sub-Ground Four: Article 297(1)(k) of the CPC of BiH: The Defense argues that the Verdict did not provide the reasons relevant to the decisive facts ......................................36 5. Sub-Ground Five: Article 297(2) of the CPC of BiH: The Defense argues that the Court incorrectly applied some CPC provisions and this affected the rendering of a lawful and proper verdict ......................................................................................................................39 C. PROSECUTION APPEALS REGARDING ĐORĐISLAV AŠKRABA........................................................44 1. Sub-Ground One: Trial Panel did not entirely resolve the charge against Đorđislav Aškraba................................................................................................................................44 2. Sub-Ground Two: Article 297(1)(k) of the CPC of BiH: The Prosecution argues that the Verdict does not cite reasons concerning decisive facts .....................................................45 IV. GROUNDS OF APPEAL UNDER ARTICLE 299 OF THE CPC OF BIH: INCORRECTLY OR INCOMPLETELY ESTABLISHED FACTS...................................48 A. STANDARDS OF REVIEW .............................................................................................................48 1. Sub-Ground One: Accused Ratko Bundalo's Alibi................................................................49 2. Sub-Ground Two: The Appellant was not the Chief Commander of All Units in the Kalinovik Territory .............................................................................................................51 3. Sub-Ground Three: Incorrect establishment of decisive facts about the responsibility of Ratko Bundalo.....................................................................................................................53 4. Sub-Ground Four: Incorrect establishment of decisive facts about the responsibility of Neđo Zeljaja ........................................................................................................................63 5. Sub-Ground Five: New Evidence .........................................................................................69 V. GROUNDS OF APPEAL UNDER ARTICLE 298 OF THE CPC OF BIH: VIOLATIONS OF THE CRIMINAL CODE.........................................................................73 A. STANDARDS OF REVIEW .............................................................................................................73 B. APPEALS OF THE ACCUSED RATKO BUNDALO AND NEĐO ZELJAJA..............................................73 2 X-KRŽ-07/419 28 January 2011 1. Sub-Ground One: Application of the Criminal Code of BiH ................................................73 2. Sub-Ground Two: Application of Joint Criminal Enterprise.................................................77 3. Sub-Ground Three: The matter has already been decided by a legally binding verdict........88 4. Sub-Ground Four: Legal Qualification of the Offense (Crimes against Humanity and the Crime of Persecution)..........................................................................................................90 VI. DECISION ON CRIMINAL SANCTION ............................................................................100 A. STANDARDS OF REVIEW UNDER ARTICLE 300 OF THE CPC OF BIH .........................................100 B. APPEALS OF PROSECUTION AND THE ACCUSED RATKO BUNDALO AND NEĐO ZELJAJA ...........101 2. Sentencing Necessary and Proportionate to the Gravity of the Crime ................................102 3. Necessary and Proportionate to the Individual Offender.....................................................105 C. ACCUSED RATKO BUNDALO.....................................................................................................105 D. ACCUSED NEĐO ZELJAJA .........................................................................................................107 3 X-KRŽ-07/419 28 January 2011 IN THE NAME OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA! The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Section I for War Crimes, the Appellate Division Panel, Judge Tihomir Lukes, as the Presiding Judge, and Judges Azra Miletić and Patricia Ann Whalen as the Panel members, with the participation of legal advisor Melika Murtezić as the record-taker in the criminal case of the Accused Ratko Bundalo, Neđo Zeljaja and Đorđislav Aškraba, charged with the criminal offense in violation of Article 172(1)(h), as read with sub-paragraphs a), b), d), e), f), g), i), k), in conjunction with Article 173(1)(a), c), e) and f) of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CC of BiH), deciding on the Appeals filed by the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Defense Counsel for the Accused Ratko Bundalo, Attorneys Krešimir Zubak and Dražen Zubak, and Defense Counsel for the Accused Neđo Zeljaja, Attorneys Vesna Tupajić- Škiljević and Radivoje Lazarević, whereby they contest the Verdict No. X-KR-07/419 of 21 December 2009 rendered by the Court of BiH, having held a session in the presence of Munib Halilović, Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, and the Accused and their Defense Counsel, on 28 January 2011 issued the following: VERDICT The Appeals filed by the Defense Counsel for the Accused Ratko Bundalo and Neđo Zeljaja and the Prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, are partially upheld and the Verdict No. X-KR-07/419 rendered by the Court of BiH on 21 December 2009 is revised so that: THE ACCUSED: 1. RATKO BUNDALO, son of Luka and Milisava, maiden name Kojić, born 30 September 1944 in the village of Kriškovci, the Municipality of Laktaši, Personal Identification Number 3009944361306, Serb by ethnicity, citizen of BiH and of the Republic of Serbia, an officer in the former Yugoslav National Army - retired, of bad financial standing, graduate of the Military Academy and the Higher Military and Political School, married, father of two children, with current address in Banja Luka, at 15 Srpskih Dobrovoljaca Street, awarded several medals before the war and the Karađorđe’s Star after the war, no other criminal proceedings are pending against him, in custody since 31 August 2007 pursuant to the Decision of the Court number X-KRN-07/419 of 31 August 2007, 4 X-KRŽ-07/419 28 January 2011 2. NEĐO ZELJAJA, son of Gojko and Zorka, maiden name Batinić, born on 21 August 1947 in the village of Grab, the Municipality of Trnovo, Personal Identification Number 2108947171928, Serb by ethnicity, citizen of BiH, retired, of bad financial standing, completed his compulsory military service in Skopje, the Republic of Macedonia in 1965/66, residing in Kalinovik, at 7 Omladinska Street, no other criminal proceedings are pending against him, was in custody from 29 November 2007 to 17 July 2008 pursuant to the Decision of the Court of BiH number X-KR- 07/419 of 29 November 2007, and from 21 August 2008 further