Applying Make-up on Prisoners ahead of Exchange
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In his statement given to the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina witness Taib Kodzaga said that he was captured in Semizovac in May 1992 and brought to the “Bunker” detention camp. He further said that he was examined by Branko Vlaco, who beat him during the examination.
The Defence said that it would have asked the witness, had he been alive, why he failed to mention that in his previous statements in which he said that Vlaco examined him a little bit and that a Pedja then beat him up.
The witness’ statement further said that he was ordered into home detention after having been held in the detention camp for three-and-a-half months, but that soldiers used to come to his house after that and beat him.
Branko Vlaco is charged with having committed crimes in “Planjina Kuca”, “Bunker”, “Kod Sonje” and “Nakina Garaza” buildings. He is charged, in his capacity as Manager, with having established a system for punishment of detained civilians. According to the charges, the detainees were abused, forced to perform hard labour and used as human shields during which many were killed, while tens are still considered missing.
The Prosecution read a statement given by another late witness – Zeljko Beganovic, former owner of “Kon-Tiki” pension, in which he said that uniformed soldiers came to that place in May and told him that he should give his buildings away for Republika Srpska to use them.
Beganovic said that he saw them bringing civilians from Svrake and Semizovac and accommodating them in “Bunker”.
“I was not allowed to contact civilians. I would just throw a pack of cigarettes into the room through the open door from time to time,” witness Beganovic said in his statement.
Beganovic told the investigators that he saw that they applied make-up on civilians prior to their exchange. The Defence said that it would have questioned the witness about that part of the statement, because this was the first time “the make-up” was mentioned.
The statement further says that the witness joined a convoy and left for Igalo with the help from Branko Vlaco.
The trial is due to continue on February 19.
