Crime in Lički Osik
On 4 October 2010, the main hearing began before the Higher Court in Belgrade in the trial against four former members of police forces of the so called SAO Krajina. They have been indicted for committing a war crime against civilians – murder of a five-member family Rakić in Lički Osik in October 1991.
On 14 March 2011, all four defendants were found guilty. Each defendant received a prison sentence in the duration of 12 years.
In November 2011, the Court of Appeals in Belgrade quashed the verdict rendered on 14 March 2011 and remanded the case back to the first instance court for retrial.
On 16 March 2012, the court pronounced the first-instance verdict in which the defendants were found guilty again.
INDICTMENT (SUMMARY)
Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor of the Republic of Serbia requested an investigation against six persons. Since two of the mentioned persons are not available to the prosecution authority of the Republic of Serbia, investigation in their case has been discontinued.
The Indictment charges Čedo Budisavljević, Mirko Malinović, Milan Bogunović and Bogdan Grujičić that they apprehended Mane Rakić, his sons Dragan and Milovan and daughter Radmila due to a suspicion that they were in possession of a radio unit and cooperated with Croatian formations. Thereafter, the defendants tied the victims’ hands and closed their mouth with adhesive tape, put them in a van and drove them to the “Golubnjača” pit. There they killed them by firing from firearms and threw them in the pit. They also killed by firing from firearms Mane Rakić’s wife Lucija Rakić, and then the defendants Budisavljević, Malinović and Bogunović committed arson by setting on fire her body and the weekend cottage where she lived, in the village of Široka Kula.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Higher Court in Belgrade
War Crimes Chamber: judge Vinka Beraha Nikičević, Chamber President, judges Snežana Nikolić Garotić and Rastko Popović, Chamber Members
Indictment: No. KTRZ issued by the War Crimes Prosecutor of the Republic of Serbia
Criminal offence: war crimes against civilians under Article 142, paragraph 1 of the KZSRJ
Representing the prosecution: Dušan Knežević, Deputy Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor
Defence counsels: lawyers Milan Lukić, Đorđe Dozet, Goran Đorđević, Strahinja Davidov and Elek Milan
Defendants: Čedo Budisavljević (held in detention facility of the Higher Court in Belgrade – War Crimes Department; his time under detention is calculated as of 18.04.2010 when he was arrested), Mirko Malinović, Milan Bogunović, Bogdan Vujičić
Victims-killed: Mane Rakić, his wife Lucija Rakić, sons Dragan and Milovan Rakić and daugther Radmila Rakić
VERDICT
On 14 March 2011, all four defendants were found guilty. Each defendant received a prison sentence in the duration of 12 years.
In November 2011, the Court of Appeals in Belgrade quashed the verdict rendered on 14 March 2011 and remanded the case back to the first instance court for retrial. In respect all defendants, their detention was extended until further decision by the court.
On 16 March 2012, the court pronounced the first-instance verdict in which the defendants were found guilty again. Defendants Čedo Budisavljević and Mirko Malinović were sentenced to 12 years and defendants Milan Bogunović and Bogdan Gruičić were sentenced to 10 years in prison each.
