Wounded While Digging Trenches

Witness Osman Krehmic told the Court that he was taken away, along with a few other detained members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, in order to dig trenches in 1993.  

“Nikola, also known as Zec, handed us over to Mato. Another man was there as well. He walked in front of us, while Mato walked behind us. Mato was between 50 and 60 years old at the time. He was rather short. He had a moustache. I think it was the indictee,” Krehmic said.

According to the witness’ testimony, once the captured members of ABiH came to the top of a slope known as Varda in the vicinity of the Zepa crossroads, an exchange of fire between ABiH and the Croatian Defence Council, HVO began.

“Somebody shouted: ‘Get up’ and opened a burst of fire. We got up, but Gano Muslic remained lying. He was wounded on his hand and leg. I did not see who shot at him. Later on a car came and drove him away,” the witness said, adding that he did not remember whether anybody else was wounded.

Mato Martic, former HVO member, is charged with crimes against prisoners of war and civilians in Zepce in 1993.

The Zenica Cantonal Prosecution charges Martic with having taken, in July 1993, a group of captured members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, from a school building in Perkovici to HVO combat positions, where he abused them, hit them on various parts of their bodies with a rifle butt and shot at two of them, causing light bodily injuries to those people.

Besides that, Martic is charged with having hit a captured Bosniak civilian, causing the victim light bodily injuries, in Lijesnica in the same month.  

The trial is due to continue on May 14.