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Ljubisa Cetic Sentenced to 13 Years

Ljubiša Četić

18 March 2010  The Trial Chamber has sentenced Ljubisa Cetic, a former member of the Police Interventions Squad in Prijedor, to 13 years in prison for participation in the shooting of about 200 civilians at Koricanske stijene in August 1992.

"The sentence will probably seem too short for some people, but the Trial Chamber is satisfied with the fact that this sentence, accompanied by Cetic's promise that he will cooperate with the Prosecution in explaining the crimes committed in Prijedor, as well as the regret he expressed, will serve the purpose of punishment," Trial Chamber Chairwoman Minka Kreho said, explaining the verdict.

Cetic signed a guilt admission agreement with the State Prosecution on March 11 this year. According to the agreement, he could be sentenced to between 11 and 13 years in prison.  

After having signed the agreement, he testified for the Prosecution, admitting he took part in the shooting of civilians on Mount Vlasic on August 21, 1992 and expressing regret to the victims.  

Cetic was originally charged under the same indictment as Zoran Babic, Milorad Radakovic, Milorad Skrbic, Dusan Jankovic and Zeljko Stojnic, former members of the Interventions Squad and Public Safety Station in Prijedor.

The same indictment originally covered Damir Ivankovic and Gordan Djuric, former members of the Interventions Squad, who were sentenced to 14 and eight years in prison respectively after having admitted guilt.

The Trial Chamber found Cetic guilty of having participated in a joint criminal enterprise conducted by civilian and military authorities in Prijedor municipality with the aim of deporting Bosniaks and Croats from the area. He was found guilty of having participated in the shooting of about 200 men at Koricanske stijene on August 21, 1992. The men had previously been separated from a convoy of people traveling from Prijedor to Travnik.

"When it made its decision about the sentence, the Chamber assessed the gravity of the crime and the level of the indictee's criminal responsibility. When you compare the level of Cetic's individual responsibility with convict Ivankovic's responsibility, you can conclude that at the referenced time Cetic used a small-caliber rifle and Ivankovic used an automatic rifle, which is ten times more murderous," Judge Kreho explained.

Explaining the mitigating circumstances, Kreho said that by admitting his guilt Cetic "faced the consequences of his actions", adding that he had "certain health problems".  

Cetic was exempted from paying the trial costs. Victims' families and injured parties were advised to file civil suits in order to settle legal and property claims.

Since Cetic is currently serving a sentence for banditry, the Trial Chamber did not order him into custody after the pronouncement of the verdict. The chamber explained that he would "be sent to prison to serve a unified sentence".