Kos et al: Graves around Srebrenica

Dean Manning, former investigator with The Hague Prosecution, said that he participated in the exhumations of bodies from graves in surrounding areas of Srebrenica after the war. During the course of his testimony Manning said that he was involved in the preparation of five reports about the results of the exhumations made by The Hague Prosecution in the period from 1996 to 2007.

At this hearing Manning said that a report about the exhumation related to the murders committed n Branjevo farm was made in 1996.

“The report indicates that the place was definitely a scaffold, which means that prisoners were brought to that place and executed,” Manning explained, confirming that all those, who were killed on Branjevo, were first buried in a grave that was just a few metres away.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Franc Kos, Stanko Kojic, Vlastimir Golijan and Zoran Goronja with genocide in Srebrenica and in participating in the murder of more than 800 men and boys on Branjevo military farm in July 1995.

According to the charges, Kos was Commander of the First Unit with the Tenth Reconnaissance Squad of the Main Headquarters of the Rep ublika Srpska Army, VRS, while Kojic, Golijan and Goronja were members of that Squad. They allegedly jointly shot prisoners, some of whom were tied and blindfolded.

During the course of his testimony Manning said that the primary grave on Branjevo farm was dug in 1995, when some of the remains were transferred to a secondary grave on Cancari road in the vicinity of Bratunac.

“What is interesting is that the bodies in the primary grave were in the same condition, which means that they were killed in the same way. They were tied and blindfolded. The others had injuries caused by bullets on the heads,” Manning said.

During the course of cross-examination Manning confirmed to the Defence of the indictees that the remains of men and boys, who were less than 18 years old, were found in the graves on Cancari road and the grave on Branjevo farm.

“I remember that the remains of both men and boys were found in the Branjevo grave. I remember having personally found a boy’s body. In case you do not believe me, there is evidence about it in the autopsy and DNA analysis reports,” Manning said.

The trial is due to continue on October 14 this year, when the Defence of the first indictee will examine two witnesses.