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Kujundzic: Prosecution Witnesses "Threatened"

03 January 2008  The Prosecution of BiH has asked that Predrag Kujundzic continue to be held in custody after allegations that some Prosecution witnesses have been threatened.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina claims that some witnesses contacted during the investigation against Predrag Kujundzic have received threats.


Sixteen potential witnesses have already requested protective measures in case they decide to appear before the court, and one has refused to testify. In view of this, and the fear that the indictee might attempt to escape or endanger the safety of citizens, the Prosecution of BiH has filed a custody extension motion for Kujundzic with the Court of BiH.


However, Kujundzic's Defence has asked that the indictee be allowed to defend himself while at liberty, adding that the Prosecution's fears are "unfounded". By the Court decision, custody may last until completition of the trial.


Kujundzic, also known as Predo, is charged with having committed murder, persecution, rape, slavery and physical and mental maltreatment of Bosniaks and Croats from the Doboj region in 1992. In that period, Kujundzic led the "Predini vukovi" ("Predo's Wolves") paramilitary group.


"The Prosecution of BiH considers that there is a grounded fear that the indictee might attempt to interfere with witnesses if he is allowed to defend himself while at liberty," Prosecutor Bozidarka Dodik told the Court.


"We have received an anonymous letter from a group of citizens from Doboj concerning attempts to threaten and bribe the witnesses. One witness claims that he received an anonymous phone call, when one person threatened him by telling him that he will always remember who "Predo's Wolves" were. This witness asked not to be invited to appear at the court during the evidence presentation process.


"The indictee participated in persecution, causing of permanent physical and mental pain, and murders committed in Doboj in an insensitive and extremely bold manner. Many persons can still feel the consequences of these acts," said Dodik.


Citing the reasons for the custody extension motion, Dodik stressed that there was "a realistic danger that he might try to escape" and that the custody order was needed in order to protect "the safety of citizens".


"We consider that the indictee, after being faced with possible punishment, has a very strong motive to try to escape or hide. He is also suspected of being a member of the support network aiding fugitives from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Should he be released, he would get all the necessary support to enable him to escape, and he would be able to cross the border without any difficulties," Dodik added.


Miroslav Ristic, Kujundzic's defence attorney, described the Prosecution's requests as "ungrounded presumptions and abstract things".


"The Prosecution of BiH has not submitted any concrete pieces of evidence. We consider that there is no fear that Kujundzic might attempt to escape, because he used to live in his Polje village before the war. This is where he went to school and where he still lives," Ristic explained.


The Defence has also indicated that the threats against witnesses were "mere assumptions" and that previous criminal reports filed against the indictee, for menacing of public order and peace, actually referred to "drunk guests" who visited his restaurant.