Escaping Across the River

Witness Milosav Zivkovic told the Court that, in May 1992 he lived in “the Muslim part of Hranca”, where there were also seven or eight Serb houses as well.

He said that he was visiting his cousin Luka Zivkovic on May 3, when, as he said, the shooting began suddenly. 

“I covered my children with my body. Later on I transferred them to the other side of the river, because all other men took children and women to that place. While I was on my way, I saw Savo Zivkovic behind the corner of his house. He was doing something,” the witness said.

As he said, all the people grouped themselves in their neighbourhood.

“My four brothers, as well as Luka Zivkovic and Sava Zivkovic were there. None of us went to the area where there was shooting. We did not even think of doing it,” Zivkovic said.

Savo Zivkovic and Najdan Mladjenovic are charged with crimes committed in Hranca village on May 3, 1992, when several Bosniak civilians were killed and captured.

Witness Luka Zivkovic, indictee Savo Zivkovic’s brother, said that he saw smoke above the village on May 3 and that “something was set on fire”.

“Bullets whistled above our heads. Some ran away to the other side of the river. All of us were horrified due to all that noise,” the witness said.

He said that he, indictee Zivkovic and a few other men gathered at one place and that they did not dare go anywhere.

Witness Milenko Zivkovic too said that the shooting began suddenly on May 3 and that he took his mother to the other side of the river.

“As I was passing by with my mother, Savo was in front of his house,” the witness said. 

The trial is due to continue on December 17.