BOSNIAN STATE COURT TO ANNOUNCE VERDICT AGAINST CROATIAN WAR CRIMINAL SLAVKO SAKIC NEXT WEEK

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 26,2008) – The Bosnian State Court accepted today the guilt admission agreement concluded between the Bosnian State Prosecution and Croatian war criminal Slavko Sakic, by which Croatian war criminal admitted guilt for war crimes committed against Bosnian civilians in Bugojno in 1993,during the Croatian aggression against Bosnia

Slavko Sakic, former member of the Croatian fascist aggressor's fprmations told the Court that he "wanted to admit guilt for all counts contained in the indictment".

Trial Chamber Chairwoman Jasmina Kosovic determined that the indictee "advisedly admitted guilt", adding that the Bosnian State Court would pronounce the verdict on September 29. Within this agreement, the Bosnian State Prosecution proposed to the Chamber to sentence the indictee to between seven and ten years' imprisonment.

"I would like to use this opportunity to address all those whom I harmed. I know that I cannot expect them to forgive me, but they should know that I feel sincerely sorry for the misdoings I committed," Croatian war criminal Slavko Sakic told the Bosnian State Court.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor Prosecution charges Croatian war criminal Slavko Sakic, as former member of the Croatian fascist aggressor's formations, with having searched Bosnian civilians and forcibly taken their money and jewelry from them when they were captured and with having participated in the torture of Bosnian civilians, who were detained by the fascist Croatian aggressor in the basement of "Akvarijum" motel in Vrbanja settlement in July 1993.

As per a request by the Trial Chamber, the Bosnian State Prosecution presented its evidence against Croatian war criminal Slavko Sakic. Fifty pieces of material evidence, including statements given by 27 persons, who were supposed to appear as witnesses in the course of this trial, were included as material evidence.

Presenting her closing arguments Defence attorney Branka Praljak asked the Trial Chamber to sentence him to "7 years' imprisonment", bearing in mind the mitigating circumstances, including the fact that "the indictee was only 20 years old" when he committed the crime and his "sincere repentance".

Croatian war criminal Slavko Sakic was arrested in the southwestern Bosnian town of Livno by members of the Bosnian State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA). He has been held under custody since then. The indictment against him was confirmed on July 30.

This is the fifth guilt admission agreement concluded between the Bosnian State Prosecution and war crime indictees.
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