Topic Unaware of Mistreatment in “Viktor Bubanj”

Topic said that he recommended Avdovic, who was not member of military police, to Ismet Bajramovic, known as Celo, who was found dead in his apartment in Sarajevo in 2008. “I told Celo that I knew a professional guy. Celo accepted him,” said Topic, testifying in defence of Avdovic. Topic began testifying on Tuesday, June 17, but his testimony was interrupted due to a risk that he could self-incriminate himself. Today he testified in presence of a legal advisor.Avdovic and Iulian Nicolae-Vintila are charged with having participated in the establishment and maintenance of a system for abuse of detained Serb civilians in the second half of 1992.
Avdovic was allegedly Commander of guards on the fifth floor of the Central Prison and Military Prison in the former “Viktor Bubanj” military barracks, while Vintila was a cook and guard in “Viktor Bubanj”.
Witness Topic said that he was Commander of a military police battalion with the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, in the period from June to November 1992.
“We did not arrest people,” he said.
Topic said that he too used to come to the fifth floor of the Central Prison, but he never saw Avdovic there.Prosecutor Dzevad Muratbegovic said that Topic said, during the investigation, that he could not confirm that he knew Avdovic. He requested the witness to explain that. Topic said that, during the investigation he asked for photographs, so he could “identify the one I knew”, adding that he saw his photograph in newspapers, when his trial began.
Vintila’s Defence attorney Vlado Adamovic said that the indictment alleged that a group, whose aim was to detain Serbs, was formed, but Topic said: “I did not participate in that. What I found important was to defend the city”.When asked if he was ordered to establish cells and detention units where Serbs would then be detained, the witness said: “No, never, never”.
Topic said that military policemen, whose commander he was, did not guard prison cells in “Viktor Bubanj”, where Serbs were detained.
“We guarded the military barracks and reception desk,” he said.
Topic said that he usually visited the “Viktor Bubanj” barracks in order to “make sure that no malpractices would happen”. He said that “nobody ever appointed a military barracks commander”.
When asked if he heard about the mistreatment of Serbs, Topic said: “Had I heard about it, I would have never allowed anybody to mistreat those people. I am that kind of a man”. The trial is due to continue on July 1.