Seeking Rescue by Watching

Zenica Cantonal Prosecution’s witnesses speak about their findings related to the taking away of the Bozic family.

Nuzhet Kovac said that he saw many people gathered in front of a school building in Tetovo, Zenica municipality. He said that this was the first time he saw people in uniforms, adding that all of them wore masks and that he did not recognise any of them. 
 
“When I entered the school, I saw three men. Their hands were tied with wire. They were not beaten up. They looked normal. They looked at me as if they saw a rescue. I told the soldiers to untie them and they did it. I told them to hand over any weapons that they might have and that they would be released,” Kovac said.
 
According to his testimony, he saw three more neighbours next to the school entrance. Kovac said that he told the soldiers that they were not Chetniks either and that they should be released.
 
The witness was presented with a statement he gave during the investigation, in which he said that a unit known as “25” was stationed in the school building. During the hearing the witness said that he could not remember having said that, adding that it was not known to him which unit was situated in the school building.
 
Responding to a Defence’s question, the witness said that he did not see indictee Saric in the school building on that occasion. 
 
Jasmin Saric, former officer, Sedjad Djerahovic, former member of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, are charged with the abuse and beating of civilians, one of whom died, while others received severe bodily injuries. 
 
The indictment alleges that Djerahovic and other soldiers took Andjelko Bozic and his two sons from their house in Bukovica village on June 16, 1992 and that they beat them, asking them to tell them where they had hidden their weapons. 
 
According to the charges, they escorted the three of them through Banlozi and Tetovo villages before taking them to “Hasan Kikic” school building in Tetovo, where the Military Unit’s Command was located.
 
“They took the father and the older son to Commander Jasmin Saric’s office. Saric and his subordinate soldiers continued beating them with their hands, legs and rifle butts so brutally that the father died and the son fainted several times,” the indictment alleges.
 
Second witness Hasan Kovac said that his father informed him about the taking away of Bozi family, adding that he was deployed to Mount Lisac area, near the relay. 
 
“I remember having been informed that some movements were noticed… Five or six of us went down below the relay. We found a minivan and captured its driver, who was a member of the ABiH. He told us that he was member of unit ‘25’ and that they had brought Veseljko Bozic to show them where they were hiding their weapons,” Hasan Kovac said.
 
The witness said that they escorted the driver to the Territorial Defence in Gradisce village. He was then released. The witness said that they did not see anybody else later on. 
 
“I heard later on that Andjelko’s body was found in front of the Clinic and that his children were in the Penal and Correctional Facility in Zenica,” the witness said.
 
According to the charges, soldiers drove Andjelko Bozic’s dead body to the Emergency Hospital. They allegedly dumped it out of the car and left it there. They took his sons to the Zenica prison, where they were held until the end of October 1992.
 
Considering the fact that brothers Nedeljko and Veseljko Bozic live in Australia, the Trial Chamber has still not decided whether they will be examined in the courtroom or via video link. The decision will be made at a later stage. 
 
The Defence of the indictees objected to their examination via video link.
 
The trial is due to continue on January 9.