Ramic: Murder in the backyard

Six civilians were executed on June 20, 1992 in the backyard of Suad Kapo’s house, Hlapcevici village, Visoko municipality. According to the indictment, the indictee’s own admission and Kapo’s testimony, Niset Ramic is guilty of this crime.

In June 1992, indictee Ramic was a member of Territorial Defence Visoko. As witness Kapo said, when the hostilities broke out, locals from Hlapcevici and surrounding villages organised guards “on their own initiative”.
 
Kapo was on guard in the night of June 19. On the morning of June 20, he was awoken by noise in his backyard.

“When I came out in front of the house, I saw Ramic bringing a group of civilians. There were two women and four men. He lined them up next to a wall. As I can remember, from left to right there were Danica Damjanovic, Dusanka Ristic, Slavko Damjanovic, Sreto Masal, Zeljko Ristic and Zoran Damjanovic,” Kapo told the Court.

According to this witness, Ramic asked the civilians where their weapons were. 

“Zeljko stepped forward and said ‘People, I have nothing, so kill me if you will!’. Ramic started shooting then. Zeljko fell and his mother started crying. Ramic turned his weapon and started shooting at the others,” Kapo claims.

After the indictee shot a whole clip, two other soldiers approached Ramic, and they all left together.

Neighbours from Hlapcevici village immediately approached the victims, helped the survivors and called an ambulance.

“Medical personnel took away the two wounded persons. Sreto disappeared and those who were murdered remained on the ground until someone came and took them away. I was completely confused and didn’t know what to do,” Kapo said.

The witness said that there are still bullet marks on the house.

At the end of the hearing, Ramic addressed the Trial Chamber and said that he has decided to end the hunger strike he commenced eight days ago with other war crimes indictees, but that he will not appear at hearings.

“I can see that the strike has no effect, but I continue to insist to be tried in accordance with the old law. I admitted to the crime four years ago because I expected to be tried in accordance with the old law and I am repeating my request now,” Ramic said.

The next hearing is scheduled for January 29.