Bosnia Halts Extradition of Croat Ex-Fighter after Victim Dies

The procedure to extradite former Croatian Defence Council fighter Robert Kovacic from the United States on suspicion that he committed war crimes has been suspended because the investigation has been discontinued due to a lack of evidence after the victim and witness to the crime died, BIRN has learned.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's international warrant for his arrest has been withdrawn.

Kovacic was charged with the sexual abuse of a woman in the Jajce area in 1995, and the cantonal prosecution in the town of Travnik referred the case to the state court because the suspect was living outside the country.

Bosnia and Herzegovina issued a warrant for Kovacic and he was arrested in the city of Roanoke in the US state of Virginia in May this year.

In the meantime, the state prosecution conducted a review of the case.

"After reviewing the case, our prosecutor determined that the injured party and witness in the case had died in 2013 and 2015 respectively, well before the case was transferred to us," said Bosnian state prosecution spokesman Boris Grubesic.

"Due to these circumstances, the prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina ordered the termination of the investigation," Grubesic added.