Witness Names Mother’s Alleged Rapists in Odzak Trial

Marijan Brnjic, Martin Barukcic, and Pavo and Ilija Glavas, all members of the Croatian Defence Council, are charged with the wartime rape of Bosnian Serb women in Odzak.

At today’s hearing, prosecution witness Ostoja Ninkovic said his mother was raped by the defendants in the summer of 1992. The rape allegedly took place after soldiers took her from her home.

“She left without a word,” said Ninkovic, who was sixteen at the time.

After she came back, Ninkovic said his mother was naked and bruised. When asked who was responsible, Ninkovic said Marijan Brnjic and Martin Barukcic.

“I learned their names in 1992,” he added.

After being called to give a statement to state prosecutors in June 2014, Ninkovic said his mother confirmed what he already knew.

He added that Ljubica Lesic, who died recently, was also in his house during the war and that she was also taken and raped.

When asked what Lesic looked like, Ninkovic said, “what would she look like? Cut, beaten, torn.”

Ninkovic said he also overheard a conversation between his mother and Lesic.

“Ljubica said she was raped and mentioned Martin Barukcic and Marijan Brnjic,” he said.

Prosecutor Miroslav Janjic asked Ninkovic why he didn’t mention Brnjic and Barukcic during the investigation of the case.

Ninkovic said that him and his mother were afraid to speak out, and that it was different to speak inside a courtroom.

Brnjic’s lawyer Rifat Konjic said that Ninkovic had stated during the investigation of the case that he heard Lesic mention who raped her, but that he could not remember their names.

When asked why he didn’t mention their names earlier, Ninkovic said he thought “nothing would come out of the investigation.”

Konjic said that the defendants were detained when Ninkovic gave his previous statement, and thus had no reason to be afraid. Ninkovic said that he did not know the defendants were detained at that time.

The trial will continue on February 24.