Krsmanovic and Victims Wife Dispute Disappearance
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Krsmanovic, a former member of the Second Podrinjska Light Infantry Brigade of the Army of Republika Srpska, is charged with participating and assisting in the murder, rape, and enforced disappearance of the Bosniak population of Visegrad during the Bosnian war.
Krsmanovic testified after Mujesira Oprasic, the wife of the deceased Hamed. She said she was looking forward to testifying on her birthday, in order to find out the truth about her husband.
Mujesira Oprasic testified as a prosecution witness at the Krsmanovic trial three years ago, in January 2012. In her previous testimony she said that Krsmanovic was one of the people who came to village of Haniste in May 1992. She said that Bosnian Serb commander Milan Lukic then took her husband away. She hasnt seen her husband since.
The defense invited Oprasic to appear again at this hearing, so they could ask her whether she stated that Krsmanovic had been present when her husband was taken away while giving testimony at another trial in November 2014. According to the defense, media reports at the time had not mentioned Krsmanovics name.
Oprasic responded by saying she has always mentioned Oliver when discussing the events of that day.
Oprasic then addressed Krsmanovic. She reminded him that when she had testified three years ago, he told her to be patient and she would find out the truth about her husbands fate. The trial chamber then allowed Krsmanovic to read a letter.
Krsmanovic said that Hamed Oprasic was his friend and that on the day of his murder he saw him in front of a restaurant. Krsmanovic had invited Oprasic to have a drink with him, but Oprasic refused, saying that he had to report to the police station.
Soon after that I saw three soldiers escorting him. I knew them by sight. They were from Priboj. I shall give their names to the prosecution, as I do not want to make them public now. They took him towards the hotel. Five minutes later nothing was heard. After that they came out and said, his [Hamed Oprasic] heart stopped, although he was a big man. The police came and made a report. A communal factory vehicle, a black Lada station wagon, then came and drove the body away, taking the local road along the Drina river. The communal company should be asked where Hamed’s body was taken, Krsmanovic said.
Trial chamber chairman Darko Samardzic asked Oprasic if she was aware of the sequence of events as claimed by Krsmanovic. Oprasic responded by saying that she knew nothing about it and that Milan Lukic took her husband away.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia sentenced Milan Lukic to life in prison in 2009 for crimes he committed in Visegrad.
Krsmanovics trial will continue on February 24, when the defense will include material evidence in the case file.
