Lalovic and Skiljevic: Meeting Indictees

Fadil Vlaicic, who appeared as a Prosecution witness at the trial for crimes committed in Kula, told the Court that he was captured in September 1992, adding that he was wounded and then released in early February 1993.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Radoje Lalovic and Soniboj Skiljevic with crimes committed in “Butmir” Penal and Correctional Facility in Kula, where civilians were detained, mistreated, taken to other locations to perform forced labour and held in inhumane conditions in the course of 1992 and 1993. The indictment alleges that Lalovic was Manager of the Facility and Skiljevic was his Deputy.

Vlaicic said that he and his family members left their apartment in Hadzici on September 8, 1992.

“On our arrival at the hall in Hadzici, we met other civilians. Later they drove us by bus to Kobiljaca for an exchange. However, the exchange never happened. They returned about 500 of us back to the hall, to which Rade Veselinovic and a person named Relja Milosevic came 12 days later, telling the women, children and the elderly to leave the hall and the adult men to stay there,” the witness said.

Rade Veselinovic is currently on trial before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for crimes committed in Hadzici Municipality.

Vlaicic said that he was among other detainees who were taken to Ostrik to dig trenches and then to Planjina kuca in Semizovac in late September 1992.

“From November 9 to December 20 I was held in Planjina kuca. After that, 37 of us were transferred to Kula. Upon our arrival we were met by Soniboj Skiljevic, who introduced himself, telling us that he was the Facility Manager. He said that we would be safe there, ordering a guard to bring us some food,” Vlaicic said.

The witness said the conditions in Kula were “very bad”, adding that some prisoners were taken to other locations to perform forced labour. He said he never performed any work, as he was wounded in December 1992.

“Ten or fifteen days later a person named Boro Todorovic came, telling us that they would take those of us who had been severely wounded to the hospital in Kasindol. They did not offer any medical assistance to any of us, so they took us back. When they took us there for the second time, some people received medical assistance, but I did not,” the witness said.

Vlaicic said that he left Kula in early February 1993. He said he used to see indictee Skiljevic within the Kula complex and Kasindol hospital, adding that he was dressed “in camouflage uniform”.

The trial is due to continue on April 30.