Calls to halt burial and order autopsy of key witness in ‘Sarajevo Safari’ investigation

Slavko Aleksic, a notorious Chetnik commander and former leader of a Bosnian Serb paramilitary unit, died in the southern Bosnian town of Trebinje despite reportedly being in good health, according to The Times. His death comes just weeks after prosecutors in Italy opened an investigation into the so-called “Sarajevo Safari” allegations.

The inquiry centres on claims that affluent visitors travelled to the hills surrounding besieged Sarajevo during the war, paying large sums of money to shoot civilians for sport. More than 11,000 civilians were killed during the siege.

Aleksic, 69, controlled the Jewish cemetery overlooking Sarajevo during the war, a strategic sniper position used by Bosnian Serb forces. Serbian lawyer Cedomir Stojkovic said Aleksic would have been a “key witness”.

“He could have said who was shooting and who organised everything,” Stojkovic said.

Investigative journalist Domagoj Margetic said Aleksic’s death was highly suspicious.

“In November, Aleksic was reportedly in good health – and now he has suddenly, and very conveniently, died,” Margetic said.

Aleksic’s death follows renewed public attention on the Sarajevo Safari allegations, including accusations last month linking Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to the affair - claims Vucic has categorically denied.

On 24 November, Aleksic gave an interview to Serbian television in which he said Vucic had no connection to sniper activity during the war.

“At that time, Aleksic was alive and well. He did not mention any terminal illness and even said he was ready to testify in Vucic’s favour,” Margetic said.

According to reports cited by Slobodna Dalmacija, Aleksic later claimed during a radio broadcast on 12 December that he was being treated in a military hospital in Belgrade, allegedly after being transferred from Bosnia with the assistance of Serbian intelligence services.

Stojkovic said it was reasonable to suspect that Aleksic’s death was linked to the Sarajevo Safari investigation.

“It is reasonable to suspect that Aleksic’s death is connected to the ‘human safari’ investigation and that the Serbian intelligence service may have been involved,” he said.

Margetic has publicly urged war crimes prosecutors to prevent Aleksic’s cremation or burial and to order a forensic autopsy to determine whether poisoning or foul play was involved.

Aleksic’s death also followed the resurfacing of disturbing footage allegedly showing a car linked to him with a human skull mounted on the hood, reportedly taken from the remains of a Bosnian victim and topped with a UN helmet.