Beating Lasting about Ten Minutes

Camil Subasic told the Court that he lived in Gracanica village, Prozor municipality, until the beginning of July 1993, when Nikola Maric separated him from his wife and children and drove him by a Lada Niva to the Fire Brigade Station in Prozor.
 
The witness said that, prior to driving him to Prozor, indictee Maric beat him for about ten minutes.
 
“He began battering, hitting me with his fists and rifle butt. I told him: ‘Don’t do it, may God help you’,” Subasic said, adding that he still suffered from headaches as consequences of the beating.
 
Indictee Nikola Maric asked the witness why he failed to tell him that he had beaten him when they drank brandy together at his place after the war, but the witness did not give a clear answer. When asked whether he testified in that way because of a fine for illegal fishing, the witness answered negatively.
 
Subasic said that he had known Maric from before the war and that the indictee used to work as a fishery guardian.
 
According to the witness’ testimony, he was taken from the Fire Brigade Station to the Police Station basement before being transferred to Dretelj detention camp, while his family was deported to the Konjic area in late August.
 
Nikola Maric, also known as Nidzo, former member of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, is charged with having participated in the murders, persecution, torture and other inhumane acts in the Prozor area from November 1992 to October 1993. 
 
Witness S-4 said that he was captured in a village in Prozor municipality at the beginning of July 1993 and that he was then transported, along with other men, to the Secondary School Centre in Prozor. As he said, he saw indictee Nikola Maric in his village during the capture itself.
 
“His moustaches and beard were untidy. His hair was a bit longer. He carried a rifle and some cap or handkerchief on his head,” the witness said, adding that, after some time he managed to flee, while being escorted to another location in order to perform forced labour.
 
Nusret Nuspahic, who also testified at this hearing, said that Nikola Maric took him from Duge village, Prozor municipality, to the Police Station in April 1993. 
 
“As far as I am concerned, he did not cause me any trouble. I did not see him beating anyone else either,” Nuspahic said.
 
He said that he was released about fifteen days later, but he was arrested again and taken to the Secondary School Centre in Prozor in July.
 
This witness said that his family was deported in that period, along with other Bosniaks from all villages in Prozor municipality. He said that he was transferred from Prozor to Dretelj detention camp.
 
The trial is due to continue on January 8.