Brother’s Murder in Front of House

Sulejman Kovacevic said that he was 11-years old in 1993, when a uniformed man came in front of his house and began calling his mother and cursing.

“My mother shouted back, saying that she would come soon, while my brother Mirzet said: “What’s up neighbour? Tell me?’ and moved towards him. The soldier began shooting. My brother fell down and said: ‘Why have you killed me’ and fell down again. My brother and I ran away in order to bring soldiers. When we came back, my brother was lying there covered with blood. We carried him into the house and buried him the following day,” Kovacevic said.

Witness Kovacevic said that he did not know the soldier, who killed his brother.

“I remember that he was tall and rather slim. Later on my parents told me who it was. Also, I saw him on photographs at his uncle Luka’s. When police examined me, they showed me some photographs. On the basis of all that I pointed to indictee Crepulja. I had never seen him prior to the trial,” the witness said.

Crepulja’s Defence objected to witness Kovacevic’s testimony, considering the fact that, when answering the Cantonal Prosecution’s questions, he mentioned details about the murder, while he answered most of the Defence’s questions by saying that he remembered nothing.

The Defence also requested a report on the identification of indictee Crepulja. The Cantonal Prosecution explained that no official identification involving Kovacevic had taken place.

The Defence asked Kovacevic if it was true that three persons, not only his brother, were killed in front of his house on that day, but the witness denied that.

The indictment charges Crepulja, former member of the Croatian Defence Council, with having killed a minor civilian in Ratanj village without any cause or reason on October 16, 1993.

Testifying as a Prosecution witness at this hearing, Rusid Kovacevic said that he heard a single burst of fire from the direction of Suljo Kovacevic’s house, while he was near the River Trstionica on October 16, 1993.

“After that Ivo Crepulja passed by me and said: ‘How is it going, neighbour?’ and went away. He was dressed in camouflage uniform and carried an automatic rifle with a wooden butt, as far as I can remember, considering that I too was in fear,” the witness said.

A short time later the witness saw a few members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, who told him that Ivo had killed Mirzet Cizmo, known as Nusret.

The trial is due to continue on December 8.