Macic: Beaten after Surrendering

Rajko Mrkajic told the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina that he surrendered in June 1992, after Serb residents had been taken from Bradina to Musala and Celebici detention camps.

“I spent 15 days in the woods. I surrendered to some soldiers, who kept guard at the entrance to Bradina village. An SUV came and picked me up. They drove me to the Musala Police Station. A group of policemen were there. All of them shouted at me, telling me to sit down. I tried to sit down. When I woke up I realised that I was standing on my feet,” Mrkajic said, adding that he was beaten up so hard that he lost conscience.

Witness Mrkajic said that he was then taken to Celebici, where he was beaten up as well.

“They pushed me out of the SUV. They jumped at me right away. They kicked me with their military boots. I nearly fainted. I heard somebody taking a knife out of a casing. They yelled at me from two sides, telling me not to turn around. I felt a hit on the back of my neck. I realised that they did not cut my throat with the blade, but they did cut my jacket, sweater and shirt. Then they hit me with a wooden stick,” Mrkajic said.

After that he was taken to Celebici detention camp. “They took me to warehouse number 9. It was a two-metre long underground corridor. I spent two months surrounded by concrete walls. They used to come to buildings nine and six in order to beat us,” Mrkajic said, adding that he was transferred to Musala in September 1992. Upon his arrival, he saw indictee Macic, known as Makaron, for the first time.

The State Prosecution charges Macic, former member of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, with crimes against Serb prisoners of war and civilians in Celebici detention camp and Musala sports hall, near Konjic.

According to the charges, in 1992 Macic participated in the murder of two Serb civilians in Celebici detention camp and causing of severe injuries of detained civilians and prisoners of war in Musala.

The witness explained that he had not known Macic from before the war, adding that he first heard his nickname in Celebici, when a detainee asked for a cigarette and Macic gave it to him. “Later on I saw him in Musala. Other detainees said that it was Macic. As far as I can remember, he did not come to the Number 9. He was quiet and he did not have much contact with detainees, as far as I could see,” Mrkajic said.

Responding to Prosecution’s questions, witness Mrkajic said that, as far as he could remember, indictee Macic did not come to the locker rooms in Musala, where detainees were held.

The trial is due to continue on March 29 this year.A.S.