Counting the beating

Timotije Celic, who used to live in Olovci village, pointed to indictee Nusret Muhic in the courtroom, saying he was the man, who did that to him. He said that he heard other people call him Nusret, but he did not find what his last name was.

According to the witness’ testimony, a policeman took him out of the educational workers’ building in Stupari, where Serbs from the surrounding villages were detained, and took him to a nearby police station.

“Nusret from Kladanj examined me. Those were the strongest beatings,” the witness said, adding that it happened in the summer of 1992.

The Defence of indictee Muhic said that the witness said, during the investigation, that he was hit between 10 and 15 times, although, while testifying at the trial, he said that there were 20 or more hits.

“My muscles ached. I was not able to count,” the witness said.

Muhic, former Chief of the Group for Fight against Crime with the Public Safety Station in Kladanj, is charged with having beat Celic on his legs with a police baton, while examining him about illegal possession of weapons in July 1992.  

During his testimony Celic said that guards, who were also policemen, guarded the Serbs in the educational workers’ building in order to make sure that nobody could enter the building and cause problems.

“We were allowed to be outside for an hour only,” he said.

The witness said that indictee Nedzad Hodzic, known as Sugo, was a good man.

Second Prosecution witness Predrag Andric said that houses in Olovci village were set on fire in late May 1992 and that he headed towards Stupari with a group of local residents.

As he said, on their way they were stopped by four armed people.

According to the witness’ testimony, one of them called Safet Mujcinovic, who treated them in a correct manner and allowed them to accommodate themselves in a house. 

“We were afraid, but nobody hurt us. One should be honest and say that,” the witness said, adding that they were taken to the educational workers’ building in Stupari later on.

The witness said that Mujcinovic once questioned him about weapons in the Police Station in Stupari, but he did not beat him.

According to the charges, Mujcinovic was Commander of the Police Station in Stupari.He said that some persons were beaten up after having been taken out of the building.

Muhic, Hodzic and Mujcinovic are on trial, along Selman Busnov, Zijad Hamzic, Ramiz Halilovic, Hariz Habibovic, Osman Gogic and Kahro Vejzovic, former members of civil and military police and the Territorial Defence, for crimes against Serb civilians in the Kladanj area.

The trial is due to continue on January 17.