73.
Jovanka was cross-examined at some length about this agreement for a division of
assets. Her answers were rather confusing and unfocused, but I am satisfied that the
substance of the agreement was broadly as I have stated it above. Jovanka impressed
me as a witness of patent sincerity, but her oral evidence was often difficult to follow,
partly because English is not her first language and she needed the assistance at times
of an interpreter, partly because her answers were sometimes inaudible, but mainly
because she found it very hard to concentrate on the particular questions she had been
asked and tended to embark upon long, discursive answers.
74.
Despite Bane’s delusions concerning her, Jovanka continued, with striking generosity,
to try to keep in contact with him. She would send him presents for Christmas and his
birthday, and also sent him chocolates which, however, as she discovered from
friends of Bane’s at his funeral, he never ate because he thought they were poisoned.
Bane believed that the female members of the family were conspiring against him,
and when his mother died in December 1992 he did not come to the funeral.
Apparently, he feared that he would be caught and forced to go into hospital. Jovanka
met Bane only twice during the 1990s, once in July 1993 when they had lunch
together at the Ritz and when it was clear to Jovanka that he was still not well, and
again in May 1996, when he was on holiday in Burgundy and invited her to join him
for two days. Jovanka accepted the invitation, and they spent one lovely day together.
However, the next day he suddenly turned against her, saying he never wished to see
her again and referring to her as “Mrs Medici”. Jovanka remembers it as being a very
emotional trip, during which Bane cried on at least two occasions. One of those
occasions was when she showed him a photo of Zoran. He asked who the photograph
was of, and when she replied “Zoran” he went away and wept.
75.
In this context it is worth noting Bane’s diary entry for 16 May 1996:
“Jovanka left Beaune with Pierre for Zurich. I paid everything
– in the last moment - before leaving she told me [that] Zoran
lost his busine[ss] – everyone achieved something except Zoran
– I said for that the persons to be guilty is YOU and MIRJANA
– you two destroyed him!!!”
A week later, on 24 May 1996, Bane wrote to Jovanka enclosing 30 photographs
which he had taken, presumably during their time together in France. He said:
“Last time we were together in Lugano in June 1984. Twelve
years have passed – a lot has happened – nothing nice, good or
happy – everything ugly, sad and ghastly. To forgive partially –
maybe – but one can never forget the monstrous plot “IN
CONCERT” where you played the main PART!!! There does
not exist the MAGIC SPONGE (not flute) to wipe out all the
conspiring and vile WORKINGS.
Time is passing by and the memories stay – whether they are
sad or pleasant and nice!
I wish you all the best!!!
God Bless You.”