Witness Says Defendants Locked Children in House and Burned Them
This post is also available in: Bosnian
Medosevic testified at the trial of Milosav, Marijan, and Slavko Jovanovic, who have been charged with killing five Bosniak civilians in Medosevici in July 1992. Two civilians were killed with firearms, while one died from a beating to the chest. The three defendants and Stevo Jovanovic are charged with killing one person in Buckovici on June 4, 1992.
The indictment also alleges that the defendants killed two children by locking them inside a house and setting it on fire. The children were the sons of Mevludin Medosevic’s sister. According to the charges, all the defendants were members of the Third Podrinjska Infantry Brigade of the Bosnian Serb Army.
When asked who locked his nephews in the house, Medosevic gave varying answers. First he said Slavko and Marijan Jovanovic locked the children in the house, then he said Slavko and Mladen (a statement he also made at the previous hearing).
After additional questioning from the prosecution, Medosevic said Mladen and Marijan Jovanovic locked the children in the house.
During cross examination, Medosevic said that after his house was burned, the house of the defendants located in the same village was burned down as well. He said he didn’t participate in the burning of the Jovanovic house.
In response to a question by Milosav Jovanovic’s defense, Medosevic said none of the locals of the village felt endangered by the Jovanovics.
During Medosevic’s direct examination on February 13, he said Milosav, Marijan, and Slavko Jovanovic abducted him from his home. He said they were dressed in “SMB” uniforms (“SMB” is slang which refers to the colour of Yugoslav Army uniforms).
Milosav Jovanovic’s defense attorney said that in a statement Medosevic had previously given, he’d said the defendants were wearing civilian clothing. Medosevic denied this.
Defense attorney Veljko Civis asked the witness whether he only had assumptions as to what happened to his family. Medosevic said he found out that this family members were killed. When asked who told him that his family members had been killed, Medosevic said he was afraid to answer. The public was then told to leave the courtroom for this part of the testimony.
The trial will continue on April 3.
