The Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and HerzegovinaNews
THE SUSPECT BRANKO VLAČO (1953) EXTRADITED FROM MONTENEGRO TO BIH JUDICIARY
17.01.2012. 15:27The suspect Branko Vlačo AKA "Brana", born on March 8, 1953 in Donja Jošanica - Vogošća municipality, BiH citizen, was deprived of liberty in Montenegro, pursuant to an international arrest warrant, issued at the request of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH.
Branko Vlačo is under investigation by the Prosecutor's Office of BiH and is suspected to have, during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a member of the local Serb forces from Vogošća and a warden of the "Planjina House" camp in Svrake, the camps "Nakina garaža", " kod Sonje" and "Bunker " in the period from May to November 1992, during a widespread and systematic attack of Serb forces against the civilian population, planned, ordered, abetted, aided, prepared and participated in the persecution of Bosniak and Croat population in Vogošća and adjacent municipalities, by way of participating in illegal detention, physical abuse, killings, sexual assaults and rapes, use of human shields, as well as mass deportation of civilians from the wider area of Vogošča and its neighboring municipalities.
Branko Vlačo is suspected of having committed the criminal offense of Crimes against Humanity under Article 172, Paragraph 1 Subparagraph h), in conjunction with Subparagraphs a), b), c), d), e), f) and k), all in conjunction with Article 180, Paragraph 1of the CC BiH.
The suspect Branko Vlačo was unavailable to judicial authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina for a longer time period before he was deprived of liberty in the Republic of Montenegro about 5 months ago. The Prosecutor's Office of BiH and judicial institutions in BiH have, following the arrest, commenced activities for his extradition to the judicial institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On January 16, 2012 the suspect was handed over to the BiH Border Police officers at the border crossing with the Republic of Montenegro who have then handed the suspect over to the authorized police officers of the Judicial Police.
The Prosecutor will seek remand in custody due to belief that there are circumstances indicating the risk of flight, as well as due to the fact that if released pending trial the suspect might destroy or conceal evidence relevant to criminal proceedings, or interfere with criminal proceedings by influencing witnesses or accomplices.
The Court of BiH shall decide on the motion for custody.
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