Prosecution witness fails to implicate Ivanovic

Prosecution witness fails to implicate Ivanovic

The trial of Ivanovic, a political leader of Serbs in northern Kosovo, continued today at the Basic Court in Kosovska Mitrovica. Four other Serbs stand accused of committing some of the most serious crimes in 1999 and 2000.

Witness Florija Peci, a professor of Albanian language and literature, was questioned by the prosecutor, the defense, and the judges.

According to Ivanovic's attorney Nebojsa Vlajic, who spoke to journalists, Peci was another prosecution witness who said they "did not see Ivanovic."

"This is another witness who did not see anything and I don't know what is the purpose of calling them. Ms. Peci said it herself, and on three occasions, that she did not see Oliver Ivanovic, and all day long we debated hearsay, who said what around the city, which is absolutely no evidence and has nothing to do with anything," he said.

Three more witnesses will testify this week about the portion of the case that concerns the events that took place in 1999, while the prosecution has 40 witnesses who will speak about the events of 2000.

Ivanovic was charged with committed a war crime against civilians in 1999, and if found guilty could face from five years to life in prison.

Dragoljub Delibasic, father and son Ilija and Nebojsa Vujacic, and Aleksandar Lazovic have been indicted in the same case on suspicion that they committed murder and attempted murder.

All five Serb defendants have pleaded not guilty.