Bojadzic Provides Alibi for Crimes in Jablanica
This post is also available in: Bosnian
Bojadzic, the former deputy commander of the Zulfikar Unit of the Bosnian Army, has been charged with taking away two female Croat detainees held at the Battle of Neretva Museum in Jablanica on the night of July 28, 1993, with another unidentified soldier. They allegedly raped the detainees. The indictment alleges that the Croat population from the village of Doljani near Jablanica was brought to the museum on that day.
Bojadzic, on the second day of testifying in his own defense, said he went from Jablanica to Mount Igman, where battles between the Bosnian Army and the Bosnian Serb Army were underway, with a part of his unit on July 12, 1993.
Bojadzic said he participated in reconnaissance in Golo Brdo on Igman with other Bosnian Army leaders on July 26 and 27, 1993. His defense attorney, Vasvija Vidovic, presented the court with a document to support this allegation.
Bojadzic said he left Igman on the night of July 27, 1993 and went to Sarajevo, where he stayed until the beginning of next month.
“I was in Sarajevo that entire time,” he said. He said he met with the leadership of the Headquarters of the Bosnian Army Supreme Command one day after his arrival.
Bojadzic said he received a pistol and money for soldiers from the Headquarters of the Bosnian Army Supreme Command on July 28, 1993. Vidovic presented the court with the payment order.
According to Bojadzic, he returned to Igman from Sarajevo, where he stayed until mid-August 1993.
Defense attorney Vidovic asked Bojadzic what he looked like at that time. Bojadzic said he grew a beard, which he had until November 1993. Vidovic presented the court with photos of Bojadzic with a beard. The photos had previously been included as evidence material.
Vidovic attempted to disprove allegations made by state prosecution witnesses who said Bojadzic mistreated them in September and October 1993, but hadn’t specified any of his facial features.
Bojadzic said he became the commander of the Zulfikar Unit at the beginning of 1994. The unit then joined the Fourth Corps of the Bosnian Army and was renamed. He said he received many praises while he was the commander of that unit.
“Should they find any crime, I would accept it without a trial,” he said.
The prosecution will cross-examine Bojadzic, who is also charged with other crimes in Jablanica, on July 2.
