Searching for a son

Witness Petar Cajevic said he blamed defendant Ramiz Avdovic for his son’s death.

Cajevic discovered in July 1992 in Foci that his son Ognjen, who lived in Sarajevo, was detained in the Viktor Bubanj barracks.

“They told me he was detained because his father and brother were Chetniks, and they beat him for it”, said the witness.

Cajevic said he did not know Avdovic, but that he knew his father well.

“Bajro Avodvic loved children. He gave my Ognjen sweets often, but I did not know Ramiz. I heard he was the man in charge at Viktor Bubanj though,” said Cajevic.

After a while, Cajevic said he got a message through his neighbour Slavko Koroman from defendant Avdovic.

“He told me to find his mother and brother-in-law in Foca or else I would not feel well,” said the witness.

Cajevic said he started asking for the mother of the defendant hoping to save his son, but he discovered she was deed. Soon afterwards, he learned his own son was also dead.

“My sister came. She hugged me and told me my Ognjen was dead,” said the witness through tears. Cajevic said he has yet to find his son’s remains.

The defendant also addressed the witness saying he understood him completely, because he was still looking for the bones of his mother and brother-in-law. The defendant then asked him why he was blaming him for his son’s death.
“You were in charge at Viktor Bubanj”, said the witness.

Avdovic and Iulian Nicolae Vintila are charged with having participated, as members of a joint criminal enterprise, in the establishment and maintenance of a system for abuse of Serb civilians from June to the end of November 1992.

According to the charges, Avdovic was Commander of Guards on the fifth floor of the District Prison in Sarajevo and the former Viktor Bubanj military barracks, while Vintila was a cook and guard in the former barracks.

Witness Ignjat Elcic said he was brought to Viktor Bubanj in July 1992. He told the Court he knew Ognjen Cajevic.

“He was very close to the guards and I know they let him hang out with them,” said the witness.
Elcic also said that Cajevic told him he was beaten.

The trial will resume on March 15.