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Euro 1,000 in Exchange for False Testimony

Zuhdija Tabakovic

22 December 2009  The Hague Tribunal charges Zuhdija Tabakovic with having taken money in return for false testimony at the trial of Milan and Sredoje Lukic.

The indictment, which was confirmed in November this year, alleges that Tabakovic agreed to give a false statement against the Lukic cousins in exchange for one thousand Euros.


In July 2009 the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, ICTY, pronounced a first-instance verdict, sentencing Milan Lukic to life imprisonment and Sredoje Lukic to 30 years in prison for crimes committed against Bosniaks in Visegrad.


The Lukic cousins appealed the verdict. The case is now being considered by the Appellate Chamber of the ICTY.

In November this year the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina ordered a number of prohibiting measures against Tabakovic, including, among others, a ban on traveling outside of Sarajevo Canton and an obligation to report regularly to the police station. The decision was subsequently changed and the measures were terminated. On December 18, 2009 Tabakovic was transferred to the Hague Tribunal.

He made his first appearance before the judges on December 22 this year, when his indictment was read. His Defence attorney Steven Powles called on the Court to read the indictment at a closed session. The Court accepted his proposal, so the public was excluded from this hearing.

The confirmed indictment alleges that, on October 18, 2008 Tabakovic met Jelena Rasic, a member of Milan Lukic's Defence team, in Sarajevo. Rasic allegedly offered him money for signing "a previously written  statement". He accepted the offer.

"Zuhdija Tabakovic read the statement. He knew he would give a false statement by signing the paper. Tabakovic did not witness the events described in the statement. He does not have any information about them, but still he agreed to sign the statement," the indictment alleges.

The second count contained in the indictment charges Tabakovic with having "agreed", as abetted by Jelena Rasic, "to find two more men, who will sign the previously prepared statements".

"In exchange for signing those statements, each man was given Euro 1,000 from a person named Dragan, who works with Jelena Rasic. Zuhdija Tabakovic was present in the Novi Grad municipality building in Sarajevo when they signed the statements and took the money," the Hague Prosecution's indictment alleges.

Zuhdija Tabakovic was a policeman in Visegrad before the war.

A person guilty of contempt may be sentenced by the Tribunal to a maximum of seven years in prison or fined up to 100,000 Euros.