Witness Describes Abduction and Rape of Mother at Juric Trial

Juric, a former member of the 102nd Brigade of the Croatian Defense Council, has been charged with the rape and sexual abuse of a Serb woman in a house in Posavska Mahala in the municipality of Odzak on the night of June 4 or 5, 1992.

The state prosecution has also charged Juric with intercepting and mistreating two Serb women who were going to a school building in Odzak with their children in July 1992. Their husbands were detained in the school. Juric was allegedly accompanied by other soldiers on that occasion.

At today’s hearing, state prosecution witness Risto Makic told the trial chamber that Serb civilians in Potocarski Lipik in Odzak surrendered on May 8, 1992. He said his family decided to go to Novi Grad after the surrender.

He said he stayed in a school building in Odzak for a few days with his mother and brother. Then, they went to Drago Ninkovic’s house in Posavska Mahala.

“On the night of June 4 or 5, 1992 I woke up because of some noise…They [soldiers] forced us to leave the house. There were four of them. They had a flashlight. I recognized Ilija Juric and Marijan Brnjic,” Makic said, identifying Juric in the courtroom.

Makic said they took his mother away to give a statement. He said Juric kicked his five year old brother in the chest, because he started to scream.

“On the following morning I saw my mother. Her clothes were torn and she was covered in bruises…After that a military police minivan came, with three military policemen. They heard that a rape had been committed. They took my mother and several other women to see a doctor,” Makic said.

Responding to questions by the defense, Makic said his mother told him Juric had raped her in 1992.

“While she was in a hospital in Banja Luka, she said Ilija Juric had raped her,” Makic said.

The trial will continue on August 31.