Savic: Rescuing Neighbours

Defence witnesses describe the situation in Visegrad during 1992.

The Defence of Momir Savic, a former member of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, who is charged with crimes committed in Visegrad, examined three witnesses, who described the situation in the municipality in early 1992.

Witness Miloje Indjic told the Trial Chamber that in April 1992 he and his family members headed towards Serbia, after “the problems and disturbances” had begun in Visegrad.

“I was driving through the town, when I was stopped by Ramiz Guso. He asked me if he could come with me. I drove him to Priboj. We did not speak about wartime events. When we arrived to Priboj, we said goodbye to each other and he left. I never saw him after that,” Indjic said.

Ramiz Guso testified as a Prosecution witness in August 2008. He said that Momir Savic and some other men questioned and beat him in the Internal Affairs Secretariat premises in Visegrad, adding that “a Serbian friend” rescued him.

The public followed the testimony of witness A from a separate room in order to protect her identity. She told the Court that she had known the indictee “since he was a little boy”, adding that he helped her while she was in Drinsko village at the beginning of the war.

“We stayed in one house, as long as Momir could tell others to leave us alone. He would visit us very often. He used to bring us flour. He would bring my husband’s retirement benefit as well. We do not know if he was a commander, but he treated us in a nice way. He said we should not leave the place for as long as he could protect us. One morning Dragan Savic and Zoran Tesovic came and told us that we had to leave, because Momir could no longer protect us,” witness A said, adding that she left Visegrad after that.

Answering Prosecutor Adnan Gulamovic’s questions in the course of cross-examination, witness A said that she did not know how or why Drinsko residents had left the village.

The Prosecution charges Savic, among other things, with having participated in the persecution, mistreatment and murder of Bosniaks in Drinsko village in May 1992.

At this hearing the Defence examined witness Nada Milicevic, who testified at a closed session. Dragan Medjovic, Defence attorney for Savic, asked for these protection measures in order to protect the identity of Prosecution witness T.B., because Milicevic was supposed to speak about her.

During the course of T.B.’s testimony in September 2008 the public was excluded in order to protect the witness’ privacy and family.

The trial is due to continue on February 2, 2009.