Local Justice – Brcko: Defence from Assaults

Zilic previously testified for the Prosecution about injured party Branko Radenkovic’s detention in Maoca, Brcko municipality. The Defence of the indictees invited him to testify as a defence witness today.

The witness, who was a military policeman during the war, said that he guarded a summer house, to which Radenkovic was brought, adding that, a couple of hours later, Guso, Suljagic and two more people examined him.

“They asked the usual questions about the enemy forces’ military positions and arms in that area, but, for some reason, Radenkovic did not want to answer those questions. At some stage Nusret Guso, who became irritated by his behaviour, got up and assaulted Radenkovic. Suljagic got up immediately and grabbed Guso in order to prevent him from hitting the prisoner,” Zilic recalled.

He said that he did not know whether Guso “managed to hit” Radenkovic after all. As he said, Radenkovic was taken to another room.

“Nobody hit him after that. The four men left the place soon,” he said.

Guso and Suljagic, former members of the 108th Motorised Brigade of the ABiH, are charged with having examined prisoner of war Branko Radenkovic several times and subjected him to humiliation and physical abuse.

Defence witness Zulka Kulovic said that she had known injured party Branko Radenkovic before the war and that she visited him after having found that he was captured and taken to Maoca.

“I remember that he was sitting in front of the summer house, when I came. He was not tied. I did not see any guards in his vicinity. I asked him whether he knew anything about my brother, who had stayed in Brcko. I heard that my brother was killed. He responded by saying that he knew nothing about him,” Kulovic said.

She said that she did not notice any injuries on Radenkovic’s body.

The trial is due to continue on November 14, when the two indictees are due to testify.

M.A.