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Slobodan Kovacina, former member of the Civil Protection Unit, who used to work at the Local Community in Dobrinja 3A, whose premises were located in a three-room apartment on the ground floor, said that soldiers never came to those premises while they were on duty, but due to personal needs.
Uniformed soldiers did not come to the Local Community premises in their capacities as soldiers. They would come privately, as common citizens, when they had to ask something. I never saw or heard that anybody was abused. I am sure that such things did not happen in my presence, said Kovacina, adding that he worked with the Civil Protection Unit during the entire war.
Kovacina said that he had never heard of Ibrahim Ceco’s name before and that he had never seen him until he came to the courtroom.
If this man is Ibrahim Ceco, this is the first time I have seen him, Kovacina said, pointing to the indictee.
The witness said that he knew Slobodan Vucicevic and his wife Blazenka, as well as Dragan Kovacevic, explaining that they lived in his building, but none of them told him that they had any problems with members of the Army.
Neither him nor Kovacevic have even said anything like that to me, Kovacina said, when asked by the Defence whether Vucicevic had ever mentioned to him that he had problems with the Army or that he was beaten up by somebody.
The Sarajevo Cantonal Prosecution charges Ibrahim Ceco, former member of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with having physically abused Serb civilians, who were digging trenches in Dobrinja 5, on September 18, 1992.
The Prosecution alleges that Ceco slapped two civilians and hit them on their heads and body with his fists and then took them, in collaboration with soldiers nicknamed Seki and Zoka, to the basement of a building in Dobrinja 3, where they ordered them to lie down and continued abusing them.
Ibrahim Ceco, who had his military boots on, kicked S.V. on his chest several times. S.V. fainted after having been hit. Three of his ribs were broken, the indictment alleges.
Responding to Prosecution’s questions, the witness said that he heard that Ranko Kasikovic fled to the other side while members of the Civil Protection Unit were digging trenches for the Army. He said that he had never heard that any people were apprehended and brought to the Local Community premises because of his flight.
The witness said that he had never heard that anybody was examined or detained in the Local Community premises.
When asked whether he informed Blazenka Vucicevic that her husband was detained, the witness answered negatively, adding that he was ready to confirm this in front of his wife.
The trial is due to continue on September 13, when two Defence witnesses will be examined.
A.S.
