Witness Describes Finding Body of Victim in Loncarevic and Makivic Trial

A witness at the Nebojsa Loncarevic and Boran Makivic trial, described how she found her brother’s body.

Loncarevic and Makivic, former members of the Special Purpose Police Squad with the Safety Services Center in Banja Luka, have been charged with the murder of a civilian on July 8, 1992.

The indictment alleges that Loncarevic and Makivic, who were accompanied by two more unidentified persons, came to a restaurant owned by a Bosniak on Gunduliceva Street in Banja Luka and killed a civilian named Vehbija Mujnovic.

“They approached the restaurant. Loncarevic approached the owner from the exterior of the restaurant and began talking to him. The owner came out after that. Makivic told the staff and guests to stay where they were. The defendants and another uniformed person then went to an apartment on the upper floor above the restaurant. Upon entering the apartment, they took the injured party into the bedroom, where they fired a bullet in his nape through a pillow, which they put on his head,” the indictment alleges.

The witness at today’s hearing, Zlata Mujnovic, told the district court in Banja Luka how she found the body of her brother, Vehbija Mujnovic.

Mujnovic, who previously testified for the district prosecution, was invited to testify as a joint defense witness at this hearing.

She said that upon entering the room, she saw her brother lying down on the floor. At first she thought he was lying down because of stomachache, but quickly realized that he had been killed.

“They told me later on that his arm was broken. The imam who prepared the funeral confirmed that to me. Investigative judge Jevto Jankovic first told my father that he was killed, but then said later on that he committed suicide. That’s why I visited Jankovic in his office, to ask him what this was all about,” Mujnovic said.

Mujnovic said that her brother had a bleeding wound on his temporal bone and said the back part of his head was smashed in. She said she didn’t know whether he was hit with one or two bullets.

Milenko Ljubojevic, Loncarevic’s defense attorney, asked Mujnovic whether her brother owed money to anyone. Mujnovic said no.

“My brother earned a lot in his restaurant. In those years he received a letter of thanks from the Borac basketball club for having supported it. He also renovated his house and restaurant. He gave money to everybody. He financially supported me and my family. He didn’t owe money to suppliers or anyone else,” Mujnovic said.

According to Mujnovic, a person who claimed he had a contract with Vehbija said he owed him 10,000 Marks. She said she lost her house as a result.