Trial against both Vladimir Milanković and Drago Bošnjak, for a war crime against civilians and a war crime against prisoners of war.

INDICTMENT (SUMMARY)

The Osijek ŽDO laid the indictment against Vladimir Milanković for a war crime against civilians under Article 120, paragraph 1 of the OKZRH and under Article 120, paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 28, paragraph 2 of the OKZRH, and for a war crime against prisoners of war under Article 122, paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 28, paragraph 2 of the same Act and against Drago Bošnjak for a war crime against civilians referred to in Article 120, paragraph 1 of the OKZRH.

Defendant Vladimir Milanković is charged that in the period between the middle of July 1991 and the middle of June 1992, in his capacity as Police Force commander in charge of a wider Sisak and Banovina area from 18 July until 1 October 1991 (and through this entire period as mentioned - he was also perfoming the duty of the Sisak Police Administration's deputy chief), although this was his duty he took no action to prevent and punish unlawful activities (forced entries to houses and apartments, unlawful search, humiliation and intimidation, physical and mental abuse) but, on the contrary, he used his authority as commander of all police formations and actually prevented taking necessary measures and action to identify direct perpetrators. Therefore he approved unlawul activities committed by members of the mentioned formations under his command and encouraged them in doing such activities. He also agreed to a continuation of such activities and thus he agreed to the consequences whereat he personally participated in maltreatment and attack on individual civilians and ordered unlawful detaining of a greater number of Serb ethnicity civilians. In described activities, 24 civilians were killed.

Defendant Drago Bošnjak is charged that in his capacity as member of the "Vukovi" [Wolves] special police unit of the Sisak Police Administration, together with still unidentified members of that unit for the purpose of intimidating Serb etnicity citizens and retaliation against them, in the second half of August 1991, he organised and lead the group of unidentified members of the mentioned formation in carrying out unlawful detaining, abuse and killing Serb ethnicity persons - whereby eight civilians were killed.

Investigation for the crimes committed in Sisak, which commenced at the Osijek County Court in June 2011, was also carried out against Đuro Brodarac who was performing at the incriminating time the following duties: the Sisak Police Administration war chief, the chief of the Banija-Kordun Area Headquarters and the member of the Regional Crisis Headquarters for Sisak and Banija. In July 2011, Brodarac passed away and therefore criminal proccedings against him were discontinued.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Osijek County Court

Case file number: Krz-3/11

War Crimes Council: judge Zvonko Vekić, Council President, judges Ružica Šamota and Ante Kvesić, Council Members

Indictment: no. K-DO-53/11 of 16 December 2011 issued by the Osijek ŽDO

Prosecution: Miroslav Kraljević, Osijek County Deptuy State's Attorney

Criminal offence: war crime against civilians under Article 120, paragraph 1 of the OKZRH, and under Article 120, paragrpah 1 in conjunction with Article 28, paragraph 2 of the same Act, and a war crime against prisoners of war under Article 122, paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 28, paragraph 2 of the same Act

Defendants:
Vladimir Milanković and Drago Bošnjak

Defence:
- Nataša Čučić lawyer practicing in Sisak and Milenko Umičević lawyer practicing in Zagreb representing defendant Milanković
- Domagoj Rešetar lawyer practicing in Osijek and Berislav Krnic lawyer practicing in Osijek representing defendant Bošnjak

Victims killed or missing:

Vlado Božić, Zoran Vranešević, Branko Oljača, Željko Vila, Evica Vila, Dušan Vila, Marko Vila, Mlađo Vila, Miloš Brkić, Nikola Trivkanović, Zoran Trivkanović, Berislav Trivkanović, Jovan Crnobrnja, Dragan Miočinović, Rade Španović, Stevo Ratković, Ljubica Solar, Milan Cvetojević, Petar Pajagić, Vojislav Trbulin, Stanko Martinović, Stevo Borojević, Miloš Čalić, Vaso Jelić and Nikola Drobnjak