Witness Died Five Years ago

As per a proposal by the Trial Chamber, Prosecutor Amra Ahmetlic read statements, which the witness gave during the investigation in 1996 and to the Cantonal Prosecution in Zenica in 2007.

In her statement the witness said that she and her family were at their neighbour Luka Sestan’s in Vardiste, Zenica municipality, when three soldiers – Eniz Basic and brothers Samir and Sabahudin Kolic, who were armed and dressed in camouflage uniforms, came.

“They invited my husband Mirko Letic and Luka Sestan to come out. My daughter knew Eniz and told him to take care of her dad. He told her not to worry and that they would be back in an hour or an hour and a half. Sabahudin Kolic stayed with us and let us go home,” Letic said.

She mentioned that, a few days later they were informed that a summerhouse in Bilivode was set on fire and that two burnt bodies were found inside.

“Identification of the bodies was conducted. It was determined that those were my late husband Mirko and Jozo Kristo. We know who took Mirko away. They should say what happened after that,” the statement says.

The Cantonal Prosecution charges Basic, former member of the Army of BiH, with having taken two civilians from a house in Vardiste village without an authorisation in April 1993. Their charred bodies were found a few days later.

The Defence objected, saying that the statements given in 1996 and 2007 were contradictory, considering the fact that the first statement did not indicate that the indictee pointed a rifle at Mirko Letic’s back and took him away.

The indictee said that he did not know Zorka Letic, that he did not know where she could have known him from and why she mentioned his name.

Responding to a question by Trial Chamber Chairman Enes Malicbegovic, the Prosecutor said that an investigation against other persons mentioned in the witness’ statement had been discontinued.

The trial is due to continue on November 6.