Crime in Karlovac settlement Sajevac
On 17 December 2010, the main hearing began at the Zagreb County Court in the case of Željko Gojak, charged with a war crime against civilians – a murder of three members of the Roknić family.
On 28 February 2012, the Zagreb County Court’s War Crimes Council rendered a verdict in which it found defendant Željko Gojak guilty for war crime against civilians which he committed by killing minor Danijela Roknić and injured party Dragica Ninković. He was sentenced to 9 years in prison.
INDICTMENT (SUMMARY)
Defendant Željko Gojak is charged that, in his capacity as an employee of the Karlovac Police Administration tasked to defend Karlovac against attacks by paramilitary Serb formations and JNA units, during the war at the line of demarcation with the occupied territory, contrary to Article 3 paragraph 1 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949, together with several unidentified members of the National Guard Corps, in Karlovac settlement Sajevac on 5 October 1991, he entered the Marko Roknić’s family house and opened fire from firearms in the kitchen area and killed Marko Roknić’s family members Dragica Ninković and Danijela Roknić, and in the hall of the house, they shot to death Marko Roknić,
thus, by violating the international law rules during the armed conflict he was killing civilians,
therefore he committed a crime against humanity and international law – a war crime against civilians – as described and punishable according to Article 120, paragraph 1 of the OKZRH.
Clik here to read in Croatian the Indictment no. K-DO-188/10 of 22 November 2010 issued by the Zagreb County State Attorney’s Office.
The indictment was modified at the main hearing held on 15 March 2011.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Zagreb County Court
Case file number: 4-K-rz-2/10
War Crimes Council (panel): judge Siniša Pleše, President of the Council, judges Martina Maršić and Gordana Mihela Grahovac, Council Members
– the repeated trial commenced in June 2011 with the changed composition of the council: judge Ivan Turudić, Council President, judges Lidija Vidjak and Ratko Šćekić, Council Members
Indictment: no. K-DO-188/10 of 22 November 2010 issued by the Zagreb County State Attorney’s Office. The indictment was modified at the main hearing held on 15 March 2011.
Prosecution: Jurica Ilić, Zagreb County Deputy State’s Attorney
Criminal offence: war crime against civilians under Article 120, paragraph 1 of the OKZRH
Defendant: Željko Gojak, in detention from 22 October 2010.
Defence: Mijo Golub, lawyer practising in Zagreb
Injured persons’ attorney-at-fact: Slađana Čanković, lawyer practising in Zagreb
Victims: Marko Roknić, Dragica Ninković and minor Danijela Roknić
VERDICT
On 28 February 2012, the Zagreb County Court’s War Crimes Council rendered a verdict in which it found defendant Željko Gojak guilty for war crime against civilians which he committed by killing minor Danijela Roknić and injured party Dragica Ninković. He was sentenced to 9 years in prison.
