Witnesses Do not Remember Who Beat them in Nevesinje

Witness Senad Sarancic said the Crisis Committee was situated in the Yugoslav National Army, JNA, Center, in which they were detained.

As he said, they were pushed into a small room, where Kuljic, also known as Jogi, tried to beat them.

“However, Branko Vojicic prevented him from doing it, but not for long, as another person then entered the room and beat them,” the witness said, but he was not able to confirm whether it was indictee Vukovic.

The witness was not able to say whether he had ever seen the indictee, adding that his appearance had changed a lot considering that more than two decades had passed.

The indictment alleges that Vukovic, former member of the Republika Srpska Army, treated civilians Senad, Hajrudin, Musan and Hajro Sarancic from Canje village, Nevesinje municipality, in an inhumane manner in June 1992.

Witness Esad Sarancic said that about 30 people, mainly women and children, left Canje village by tractor on June 16, 1992. He said that he and Kemal Sarancic were the only men among them.

“They stopped us at the checkpoint near Kifino Selo and asked for movement permit. As we did not have one, military policemen came and separated us. They drove me and Kemal to the Crisis Committee in the JNA Center or the cinema, as some people called it. Women and children were taken to the Tools Factory,” Sarancic said.

As he said, while they were in the Crisis Committee premises, they were examined about weapons for two or three hours.

“They beat us, while we were there. Some man named Dragan or Danilo Kuljic, known as Jogi, beat us more than the others. As we were turned away, I could not see who was hitting us, but the wall was covered with blood and I was unconscious for some time,” Sarancic said.

Witness Sucro Sarancic said that, after having been captured, he was examined by policeman Djeric, whom he had known before the war.

“I was examined on the ground floor of the JNA Center. They asked me where some people had gone, what was going on in the village, whether there were weapons in the village. When Djeric finished my examination, he left the room. A guy then came in. He hit me on my chest with his boots and on my head with his fists. He asked me: ‘Do you know who I am?’ He said that he was Vuk or Vucko, I cannot remember exactly,” the witness described.

Sucro said that he did not know the person, who beat him in the JNA Center on that occasion and that he would not be able to recognize him more than two decades later.

The main trial is due to continue on January 29.