Bosnian Serb Ex-Soldier’s Sexual Abuse Acquittal Challenged

The prosecution on Monday urged the appeals chamber of the Bosnian state court to quash the verdict acquitting Nenad Perovic of sexual abuse in the village of Dobrasina, near Rogatica, during wartime in 1992.

The first-instance verdict in May this year cleared Perovic of helping another, unidentified Bosnian Serb soldier rape a woman in Dobrasina in August 1992.

Perovic was also acquitted of sexually abusing another woman the same night.

State prosecutor Dzevad Muratbegovic argued that the first-instance verdict had incorrectly established the facts.

"The first-instance chamber failed to a great extent to appreciate the testimony by protected witness [codenamed] S-1," Muratbegovic said.

He said that the acquittal should be set aside and a new trial held.

But Perovic's defence lawyer Zorana Carkic said the prosecution failed to prove its case.

"The defence's evidence totally destroyed the idea that this man could be associated with this crime," Carkic said.

The appeals chamber will deliver its ruling at a later stage.