The first instance verdict was pronounced on 25 June 2010. In the verdict, the defendant was found guilty and sentenced to 5 years in prison.

 
INDICTMENT (SUMMARY)

The Indictment charged Španović that as a member of TO SAO[1] Krajina, in the premises of prison in Stara Gradiška, from the beginning of October 1991 until end of January 1992, he engaged in cruel treatment and physical torturing of Croatian civilians, and inflicted them great suffering, physical and mental pains, and he thereby committed a war crime against civilians under Article 142 (1) of Criminal Code of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (KZ SRJ).

You can see the Indictment of the Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor of the Republic of Serbia (in Serbian language) here (PDF, 28,5 KB).

GENERAL INFORMATION

District Court in Belgrade

Department: War Crimes Panel

Trial Panel: judge Vinka Beraha Nikičević, President; judges Snežana Nikolić Garotić and Vesko Krstajić, Members

Indictment: issued on 3 June 2009 by the Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor of the Republic of Serbia

Criminal offence: war crime against civilians under Article 142 (1) of KZ SRJ

Defendant: Milan Španović

Victims - physically abused: Đuro Bogunović, Luka Filipović and Josip Kvočić

TRIAL MONITORING REPORTS

The trial began on 17 September 2009 when the indictment was read and the defendant Španović's defence plea was presented. It continued on 2 December 2009, when two witnesses provided their testimonies via a video-conference link with the Zagreb County Court.

Monitoring reports are available in Serbian/Croatian language here: STARA GRADISKA - izvjestaji s pracenja

VERDICT

On 25 June 2010, the defendant was found guilty and sentenced to 5 years in prison.

The second-instance verdict rendered on 24 January 2011 upheld the first- instance verdict.