Witness of Murders in Trusina

A former member of the “Zulfikar” Unit of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, says, testifying at the trial for crimes in Trusina, Konjic municipality, that he witnessed the shooting of Croat men in that village.

Bedirhan Mesic, who testified in defence of Mensur Memic, one of the five indictees, said that the shooting happened after his comrade Samko had been wounded. He said that Samko died soon after the wounding.

“Nedzad Hodzic came running. He seemed lost and began shouting, saying that men should be separated from women. Zolja came right away,” the witness said.
According to the witness’ testimony, after that indictee Hodzic said: “Shooting squad”.

“I think that Zolja was the first one, who opened fire. It was, by no means, a shooting squad. Those were just four rifles. Sempa perhaps fired a short burst,” Mesic said, adding that he did not shoot.

When asked by the Trial Chamber whether other soldiers were shooting, the witness said: “There was Mirso. There was that guy – Gezo. There was one, whom I did not know at all.” Also, he said that Mirso was not a member of the “Zulfikar” Squad.

According to the witness’ testimony, indictee Dzevad Salcin was with the women and children and saved a boy. 

The indictment alleges that, on April 16, 1993 six members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, who had previously been captured, were shot in Trusina.

Memic, Hodzic and Salcin are on trial, along with Nihad Bojadzic and Senad Hakalovic, for crimes in Trusina, where other Croats were killed as well.

The indictment alleges that all of them, except Hakalovic, a former member of the 45th Brigade of ABiH, were members of the “Zulfikar” Squad and Bojadzic was Deputy Commander of that unit.
 
After having accepted a guilt admission agreement, Rasema Handanovic, also known as Zolja, a former member of the “Zulfikar” Squad, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison for having participated in the shooting in Trusina. 

According to the witness’ testimony, indictee Memic was not present in Trusina on that day. As he said, members of the “Zulfikar” Squad headed towards Trusina from their base on Mount Igman.

“Memic stayed. He said goodbye to Orhan. I did not see him again until my return,” the witness said.

As he said, 26 members of the “Zulfikar” Unit were present in Trusina. He said that indictee Bojadzic was not among them. 

“You should know that Samko was the only commanding officer at that place. All of us, who were present there, know that,” the witness said.

Bojadzic is charged with having ordered his soldiers to attack Trusina and issued an order not to leave any survivors in the village. Besides that, he is charged with having commanded the attack via communication means from a nearby hill.

When asked by Prosecutor Emir Neradin whether he had been sentenced, under second instance verdicts, five times already, the witness said: “Everything is true, transparent”. The witness said that no court processes were conducted against him until now and that he had never been sentenced for giving a false testimony.

The trial is due to continue on January 12.