Rapes in Odzak

As the trial for crimes in Odzak continues, a late witness’ statement is read. In that statement the witness said that Martin Barukcic and Marijan Brnjic raped her in June 1992.

In her statement, which was read by Prosecutor Miroslav Janjic, Ljubica Lesic said that Barukcic and Brnjic raped her after having driven her away on night on June 4-5, 1992.

“Martin Barukcic took me to Jela Barukcic’s house… He ordered me to kiss a cross. He began raping me… He was telling me that I was a whore and that we should all be killed. The rape lasted an hour,” Lesic said in her statement.

She described that Marijan Brnjic “jumped on her and hit her with his fist.”

“Marijan told me: ‘I shall not rape you in the same way as others did’. He began raping me in my anus, several times… I fainted due to the beating and the disgust,” the witness said.

She said that she had known Barukcic, known as Martinac, and Brnjic, known as Cavka, from before.

In her statement witness Lemes said that she mentioned Ilija and Pavo Glavas in her previous statements, but she was not sure that they raped her.

The Defence pointed out that Marijan Brnjic’s nickname was not Cavka and that this was a totally different person.

Barukcic’s Defence said that, had the witness been alive, it would have asked her about the indictee’s identity, claiming that his father was not a bricklayer, as mentioned by the witness, and that he did not have a brother named Jozo, whom the witness also mentioned.

Commenting onthe witness’ allegations that he forced her to kiss a cross-like pendant on his chain, Barukcic pointed out that he had never worn a chain in his life.

The Defence of Pavo and Ilija Glavas said that, had the witness been alive, they would have also question her about the indictees’ identity.

“I think that, for this case, it is of crucial importance to determine the indictees’ identity. I would have asked her about the identification process,” said Senad Bilic, Defence attorney of Ilija Glavas.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, charges Marijan Brnjic, Martina Barukcic and Pavo and Ilija Glavas, former members of the 102nd Brigade with the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, with having raped, beaten, abused, humiliated and threatened Serb women.

The indictment charges them in five counts with having brought the victims from various locations to houses and other buildings in the Odzak area in the summer of 1992.

Prior to reading of the witness’ statement, indictee Marijan Brnjic requested that the statement not be read prior to an expert’s examination, claiming that she did not sign it and that it was taken in an unlawful manner.

Prosecutor Janjic did not object to the expert examination, adding that it was written, by mistake, that she was examined at the Prosecution of BiH, while, in fact, the examination took place at her house in Samac. The Chamber approved the reading of the statement.

Brnjic also informed the Trial Chamber that he went on hunger strike, claiming that “the trial against him is fabricated by the Prosecution of BiH and the Association of Odzak municipality” and calling on the media to visit him at the Penal and Correctional Facility in Orasje.

The trial is due to continue on December 16.