Apprehended Witness Incriminates Himself

In the disputable statement protected witness D, who was apprehended to the trial of indictee Vehid Subotic, known as Geler, said that he heard that Geler shot seven or eight Croat men on January 26, 1993.

He explained to the Court that “he only heard that some person with that nickname did that”.

Also, the witness’ statement given during the investigation indicates that, after Commander Elvedin Camdzic was killed, he met Serif Patkovic, Commander of “Plavi Sokolovi” Unit, who killed Zvonko Rajic, member of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO.  

However, the witness denied that at the trial, saying that he “heard that Patkovic was in the field, but he did not see him”.

When asked by Trial Chamber Chairman Zoran Bozic if he was aware that the previously given statement and his testimony were diametrically opposed, the witness answered affirmatively.  

The witness said that he was present when Rajic came by, that he fired a bullet and that Rajic fell down.

Judge Bozic warned the witness that he did not have to incriminate himself, but witness D said: “It does not matter”.
 
The indictment charges Vehid Subotic, former member of the Second Battalion with the Seventh Muslim Brigade of ABiH, with having entered Dusina village, along with other members of the Battalion, and ordered the capture of about 40 civilians and several disarmed HVO members.

He is charged with having separated eight Croat civilians, escorted them to a house and ordered members of his Company to kill one of them each.

Witness D, former member of so-called Music Company with the Seventh Muslim Brigade, said that one day after the attack he heard that “Croat members” were killed in Dusina, but he did not know the details.

He said that he remembered the attack on Dusina village on January 26, 1993, when Company Commander Elvedin Camdzic got killed. As he said, after that indictee Subotic told him that he would be commander.

“I was walking with a couple of other soldiers. I met Geler, who told me that he would become the Company Commander. I cannot remember whether the Dusina operation was still ongoing or completed,” he explained, adding that the indictee was not a member of his Company.

When asked by judge Bozic how could a non-member become commander of the Company, the witness said that he too considered it weird.

Responding to questions by Prosecutor Slavica Terzic about differences contained in his statement given to the Cantonal Prosecution in Travnik on December 18, 2000, the witness said that the way in which they examined him was disputable.

“I did not pay much attention. I signed it just to have them leave my house as soon as possible. The statement contains some details with which I disagree,” he said.

This witness was apprehended after having refused to appear at the last hearing, explaining that he did not want to come, because “his statement has already been made public”.
 
The trial is due to continue on December 27.