Vranjes et al: Murders of the Grgic brothers

Former member of the Special Forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) in Banja Luka, Slobodan Radivojevic testified in front of the State Court how he found out on 12 July 1992 from Slobodan Dubocanin, the commander of his unit at the time, that the Grgic brothers had been killed.

“Slobodan Dubocanin came in the morning to me and told me that ‘the Grgic brothers have been killed’. Half an hour after that, Ljubisa came as well and he looked unusual and confused. He told me then ‘that the fool killed the Grgics”, the witness stated.

Together with Ljubisa Vranjes, former member of Centre of Public Security (CJB) in Banja Luka, the State Prosecution charges Mladen Milic, former member of the Military Police “VP 7551 Banja Luka” for coming to a house on 6 June 1992 in which three imprisoned civilians were held, and ordered them to come with them to be interrogated.

 In the indictment it is stated that the two prisoners were killed by the Monument to fallen combatants from the World War II while the third was seriously wounded.

Goran Markovic is also included in the same indictment. He is a former member of the “VP 7551 Banja Luka” and is held responsible for the shooting of the prisoners brought to the Monument to fallen combatants. Following the State Court’s decision, the case against Markovic has been separated from the cases of the other two indictees.

Witness Radivojevic stated that on 11 July 1992 that he was in Kotor-Varos Police Station when Dubovcanin called a certain Markan and told him to take the Grgic brothers to prison.

“Dubovcanin called Markan, I think his last name was Markovic but I am not sure. He told me to find two or three more people and to take the Grgic brothers to prison”, the witness recalled.

“Radivojevic added how he remembers that on that night in the police station, the accused Vranjes was on duty and that the accused Milic was in Banja Luka but it is not known to him with whom “Markan” went to pick up the Grgic brothers.

“Mladen Milic was on leave on 11 July 1992. He went home in a blue ford and without the weapons. I was running the log book on that and I know that his weapons were returned and left in the station”, the witness stated.

Witness Radivojevic stated how he knew the Grgic family but he did not see them in Kotor-Varos during the wartime period.

The continuation of the trial has been set for 7 September this year when the State Prosecution’s additional witness will be heard.

                                                                                                                                  S.U.