Former Neighbours Involved in Kozarusa Murders, say Witnesses

Mitar Vlasenko is on trial with Rade Vlasenko and Drago Koncar, all former members of the Army of Republika Srpska. They have been charged with the murder of eight Bosniak civilians in the village of Kozarusa in Prijedor in June 1992.

State prosecution witness Rasma Hodzic said that she found out about the murders from her sister-in-law Senija while they were refugees in Karlovac, Croatia. They had left Kozarusa in May 1992, before the murders took place. Hodzic said that she did not know who told Senija about the murders.

Hodzic’s statement on the murders given during the investigation phase of the case mentioned the Vlasenko family, but also Drago Koncar. This part of the statement was read by Mitar Vlasenko’s defense.

Hodzic said that she knew Mitar and Rade Vlasenko, who were her closest neighbours in Kozarusa, as well as Koncar.

Hodzic said the village was attacked on May 24, 1992. She fled to Kozarac with other women and children, including her son. Two days later the fleeing residents of Kozarusa were detained. Women were sent to the Trnopolje detention camp and the men to the Keraterm detention camp.

“My son ended up in Keraterm. He was transferred to Omarska and then to Manjaca,” Hodzic said.

In 1993, Hodzic went to Karlovac. She said that her brother-in-law, as well as a few other men, were found in a grave in Kozarusa. She said that protected witness S-1 had revealed the location of the mass grave.

A new witness for the prosecution will be examined on February 18.