Fundup Didn’t Participate in Foca Murders, Witnesses Say

Radoman Fundup, a former member of the Focanska Brigade of the Bosnian Serb Army, has been charged with the murder and abuse of civilians in the Foca area. The indictment alleges that he participated in the murder of two children and five persons and the wounding of one woman in Cohodar Mahala, in collaboration with two other persons.

Fundup has also been charged with the abuse of three civilians, including two children. According to the indictment, he also intimidated and threatened civilians in the village of Gornje Polje. He ordered civilians in Gornje Polje to form a line, and accompanied by another person, cocked his rifle in order to simulate their execution.

Branko Banovic, a former military police officer with the Bosnian Serb Army, testified at today’s hearing. He said he received a call to go to Cohodar Mahala in Foca due to shooting in May or June 1992.

“There was a call, somebody said civilians were killed. I went to that location with a colleague by car. I parked the car in Cohodar Mahala and saw a man. The man left one of the houses with a rifle. I told him, ‘You fool. What are you doing?’ He said it was revenge, because they had killed his relatives. I hit him, took his gun away and drove him to the police,” Banovic said.

According to Banovic, the man introduced himself as Fundup. He said the man was not the defendant, whom he had known from before the war.

Dragan and Dojcilo Fundup, distant relatives of the defendant, also testified in Fundup’s defense. They said they attended a funeral with Radoman Fundup on the day of the murders in Cohodor Mahala.

Dragan Fundup said the funeral of his brother-in-law and cousin was organized in the afternoon in June 1992. He said they went to the house of the deceased man’s house after the funeral to have lunch.

“Radoman and Danilo Fundup, as well as Radoman’s parents, were sitting next to each other. At some point Danilo stood up and told the others, ‘Get up. Let’s kill those…’ Radislav Radevic listened to him, so the two of them left. Some asked what was going on. There was a hustle. Radoman said, ‘Sit down, you fool,’ but they left towards the village,” Dragan Fundup said.

According to Fundup, a few minutes after Danilo Fundup and Radevic left, shooting was heard in the village. On the following day, Fundup said he heard rumours that some women and children had been killed.

“According to rumour, Danilo and the other man did it,” Dragan Fundup said.

Dojcilo Fundup also said he attended the funeral in June 1992. He said he saw Radoman and Danilo Fundup there and said they called for blood.

“Danilo said that. Rade followed him. Radoman asked him where he was going and told him he was a fool. A few minutes later we heard gunshots,” Dojcilo Fundup. He said he heard on the following day that murders had happened in Cohodor Mahala.

During cross-examination, Fundup was presented with a statement he had previously given to the state prosecution. In his previous statement, he didn’t mention that Danilo Fundup called for murder. He said he hadn’t told the truth in his previous statement. He said he felt embarrassed because Danilo Fundup was his cousin.

The trial will continue on November 13, when the two last defense witnesses will be examined.