Krsmanovic Undoubtedly Drove Civilians

Witnesses Slobodan Ikonic and Miloje Udovicic described what happened on the road, where, according to the charges, 16 civilians were kidnapped on October 22, 1992 and taken to the “Vilina Vlas” hotel in Visegrad. The civilians were then allegedly beaten up and killed.

“It was early morning, when I was stopped by some young men on the road. Their faces were painted. They had flags on their backs…They were armed, so I did not entered into discussion with them,” said Udovicic, who drove a vehicle with a crane.

As he said, the same group of men stopped him again a while later and asked him to tow a small truck covered with awning.

“The truck driver gave me a tow cable. As the ground was covered with dew, my tyres began to spin near Bijela brda. At that moment I noticed that there were some people under the awning,” Udovicic said, adding that the armed persons fired bullets in the air. He said that he used the opportunity and drove away.

Responding to Defence’s questions, the witness said that he saw the small truck driver, but, although the Defence suggested to him that it was indictee Krsmanovic, Udovicic said that he could not recognise him.

“We are not denying that Krsmanovic drove the small truck,” Defence attorney Slavisa Prodanovic said.

In addition to participation in the kidnapping of civilians, Krsmanovic, former member of the Second Podrinje Light Infantry Brigade of the Republika Srpska Army, is charged with the murders, rape and abuse of the Bosniak population in Visegrad.

Witness Slobodan Ikonic, who used to work as a driver in the Priboj-based Raketa company, said that a bus was stopped in Mioce village and that armed soldiers got on the bus and checked passengers’ identification cards.

As he said, another bus was parked at that location. When he arrived in Priboj in the evening, he found out that civilians had been kidnapped from the bus.

Prosecutor Mirko Lecic included, in the case file, 177 pieces of material evidence. The Defence objected to more than 80 of them, saying that they were irrelevant.

The continuation of the trial is scheduled for July 2, when the Trial Chamber will announce whether it accepts the evidence to which the Defence has objected. After that a status conference will be held at which the Defence will present its evidence presentation plan.