Lalovic and Skiljevic: Shelter for exchange

Prosecution witness Mehmed Agic, who was detained in the Penal and Correctional Facility in Kula for about ten months, described the facility as “a shelter for exchange”, adding that the two indictees performed functions of Facility Managers at some stage.  

“I am sure that Radoje Lalovic was the Facility Manager in August and September 1992. I addressed him frequently. We had established an encouraging communication. He told me that he had a friend who had the same last name as me,” Agic said.

The witness said that “people were saying” that indictee Soniboj Skiljevic “replaced Lalovic in his position”, but detainees did not see him so often.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Lalovic, as former Manager of Kula, and Skiljevic, as his Deputy, with having committed crimes in the Facility. The indictment alleges that detainees held at the Facility lived in inhumane conditions while also being taken to other locations to perform forced labour.

“During the course of my stay in Kula, the hygiene conditions were poor most of the time. There was no soap or towels… We used to place plastic canisters near the windows in order for the water to warm up. When we had a chance to go to the toilet, we would wash ourselves with that water. The conditions improved prior to visits by International Red Cross delegations, who would bring us underwear, sweaters and lunch packages,” Agic said. 

Agic was brought to Kula on August 10, 1992. He was kept there until June 15, 1993. He said that prior to his arrival in Kula he was detained in various buildings, after having been captured in Rogatica on June 22, 1992.

“In the beginning we used to receive one boiled egg, a slice of bread and some tea in Kula. Later on we would get some soup, which looked like oily water, because there was nothing in it. We also received one fifth of a loaf of bread. We once noticed that there was a lot of food in Kula. We asked them to make us a rice pudding and the chef did it for us,” Agic said, adding that all the detainees used to eat in one room, while Kula staff worked in another room. 

Agic said he was taken to other locations to perform various types of work, including digging trenches, cutting wood and burying dead people. He said that a person named Nedjo Pandurevic called their names from a list, but he did not know who had drawn up these lists. 

The witness said that some detainees were either wounded or killed during the forced labour. One boy, who was under 18, was killed by projectile shrapnel.  

The witness told the Court that some detainees complained about being beaten in Kula. They had bruises on their faces. He said a detainee said that “guards Nedjo Pandurevic and Govedarica beat him”. 

Agic said that Pandurevic “did not let any soldiers come to Kula”.

The trial is due to continue on May 21.