State Prosecution Witness Describes Reports of Fire in Bileca Prison

Miroslav Duka, the former Bileca police commander, Goran Vujovic, the former chief of the Bileca public safety station, and Zeljko Ilic, a former police officer, have been charged with war crimes in Bileca. Nedjeljko Kuljic, since deceased, was also charged under the same indictment.

Vujovic and Duka have been charged with enabling and organizing the detention of Bosniak and Croat civilians in Bileca, where detainees were killed, tortured and abused. Ilic has been charged with participating in their abuse.

At today’s hearing, a state prosecution witness who asked that his name not be publicized, said he was informed via a police phone number that smoke was coming from the old prison in Bileca.

“I informed my commander immediately. He told me to take a cistern and go there, and said he would come as well,” the witness said. He said the old prison building was near the police station.

The witness said he saw smoke, but no fire or embers, when he arrived at the prison.

“Smoke was coming out of that building they called a detention unit,” the witness said. He said he’d asked if anyone was inside the building and was told that prisoners were in the facility. He said he then unwound the hose to extinguish the smoke.

Sekulica Stolica, the second state prosecution witness to testify at the hearing, said he guarded Bosniak prisoners held in the old prison building on several occasions.

“We would give them food from outside, through the window. I really don’t know when they were detained and how many of them were held there,” Stolica said. He said he only had contact with the prisoners when he gave them food. He said family members also brought food to the prisoners.

According to Stolica, the prisoners were released in late fall 1992.

When asked what his duties were as a police officer, he said he primarily performed administrative tasks, including the issuing of documents.

The trial will continue on August 25.