Iva Pavlovic’s Violent Death

Testifying before the Cantonal Court in Mostar, Marija Definis-Vojanovic said that she performed an autopsy of Iva Pavlovic’s body at the hospital in Split on August 5, 1993.

“The deceased woman’s body was in an advanced stage of decay. A huge number of worms were present. According to the record, the body was dressed in civil suit. In addition to the fact that the body was in a decaying stage, I noticed a bullet-caused wound on the neck. Also, I determined that, besides the injuries caused by the projectile, no other signs of violence were present,” Definis-Vojanovic said.

When asked by Prosecutor Vesna Pranjic to explain how Iva Pavlovic was wounded, Definis-Vojanovic said that court medicine never gave its opinion about the position.

“I can only say whether the victim was facing the gun and whether he/she was lying or sitting. The projectile entered the body through the neck, perforated the left side of the lungs, broke three ribs and came out through her back. This means that the projectile entered the body from the front side,” Definis-Vojanovic said.

She determined that the bullet-caused injury of the neck was the cause of death of Iva Pavlovic and that the death was violent, considering the fact that blood vessels, nerves, intestinal organs and respiratory organs were injured.

The Mostar Prosecution charges Zehrudin Scuk, also known as Zeho, former member of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with having killed Iva Pavlovic in Krkaca village during an attack on Doljani in July 1993.

At this hearing Trial Chamber Chairman Hamo Kebo read a statement given by late Ruza Tutis, in which she described what happened in Krkaca hamlet in the summer of 1993, when her sister Iva Pavlovic was killed. Tutis said that three members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina came to the courtyard of her sister and son-in-law, Anica and Stipe Zelenika. As she said, she and her sister Iva were alone in the house, because her daughter and her children were visiting Anica’s sister-in-law Andja Zelenika.

“We were standing in front of the house, when the three soldiers, one of whom wore a helmet, came. I do not remember all the details, but the one wearing the helmet was not tall. One of his eyes was damaged. In fact it was totally white. He asked us if we had a rifle. My sister answered negatively. Zahrudin Scuk found a gun in the house, approached her and said: ‘You are in trouble now’. He then shot her on her neck. She fell down on her side. There was a lot of blood,” witness Tutis said in her statement.

The Defence attorney of the indictee objected to the statement given by late Ruza Tutis, saying that the statement was not in accordance with the law and that he had no possibility to examine the witness.

The trial of Zehrudin Scuk is due to continue on September 2.