Local Justice – Markovic: Descent Guard

Witness Nenad Przulj said that indictee Markovic was a guard in the prison in Cavarine and that, just like other guards, he treated prisoners in a correct manner.

“Milan Markovic was a guard. Guards did not mistreat any of the prisoners,” said Przulj, who was Commander of Guards in Cavarine from October 1992 to mid-March 1993.

The Eastern Sarajevo District Prosecution charges Markovic, former member of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS from Han Pijesak, with having beaten and physically abused detained civilians in Sokolac municipality from June 1992 to March 1993.

He is charged with having beaten Hasan Dugic and Fikret Sirco up in the Police Station premises in Sokolac and physically abused Osmo Ibrahimovic, known as Kaba, in “Petar Kocic” school building in Cavarine village.

Markovic is charged with having beaten Bajro Kundak up in the “Slavisa Vajner Cica” school in Sokolac in June 1992.

Witness Przulj said that military personnel, or, as he called them, “an officer and soldier”, examined prisoner Kaba in Cavarine and that one of them hit him on his head with a scoop.

“We were attentive towards prisoners in Cavarine. We used to bring them cigarettes, food and clothes,” he said.

Goran Samardzic, former guard in Cavarine prison, said that Markovic treated prisoners in a correct manner.

“Markovic was decent, just like everybody else. I am sure that nobody beat any of the prisoners in my presence,” Samardzic said.

Mladjen Neskovic, former guard in the school building in Sokolac, said that the indictee did not work as a guard in that school.

“Milan was not guard in the school building. He came to Cavarine. (…) I personally did not let anybody approach the prisoners. I did not see anybody hurting any of those men,” Neskovic said.

The trial is due to continue on July 4, when new Defence witnesses will be examined.
A.S.