Learned about Fathers Death while in Prison
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The witness said that, following the breakout of the conflict between the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, and Croatian Defence Council, HVO, on April 17 and 18, 1993, he was taken, along with the others, who surrendered, to the Penal and Correctional Facility in Zenica. He said that that his father stayed in the family house in Gornje Vardiste.
The witness mentioned that, while he was in the Facility he heard that three men his father, Mirko Letic and Jozo Kristo, were taken away and killed.
Luka Sestan said that a priest, who visited them, told him that, but he did not mention who did it.
They let me, my brother and a few neighbours of ours to go out and dig graves. Following the funeral, we went back to the Facility. Later on the Zenica Radio announced that three bodies were found. I obtained the details from eyewitnesses Sonja Kristo and Mirjana and Dragica Letic, later on, the witness explained.
The Cantonal Prosecution charges Basic, former member of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with having taken, without authorisation, two civilians from a house in Vardiste village in April 1993. The charred bodies of the victims were found a few days later.
Responding to Defences cross-examination questions, witness Sestan confirmed that he mentioned, in an earlier statement, that, besides Eniz Basic, Samir Kolic also took his father away.
He explained that this is what he was told, but that, when he spoke to Sonja Kristo later on, he found out that it was only Eniz Basic, whom he had known since childhood, given that they lived in neighbouring villages.
Admittedly, I cannot claim that the indictee did it, because I did not see it. That is what I was told, the witness said.
The indictee objected to the witness allegation that they knew each other, saying that it was impossible.Sonja Kristo too was due to testify at the hearing today, but she had an accident on her way to the Court, so her examination was postponed until the next hearing scheduled for December 1.
