Hodzic: A versed soldier

Three former members of the Territorial Defence (TD) in Vlasenica, who testified as Prosecution witnesses, spoke about the establishment of “Stala” (“Barn”) prison in Rovasi but they could not confirm if Ferid Hodzic, TD commander in Vlasenica, was responsible for that prison.

“I do not think that Hodzic even saw the people, who were detained in the prison in Rovasi. He could not have known about the torture of the prisoners as he did not have any communication with the military. Hodzic seemed like a military-oriented man and you could see that he was a versed soldier. He was an optimistic and bright man,” said Besir Aljukic, who recognized the indictee in the courtroom.

The State Prosecution charges Ferid Hodzic with having ordered other TD members to hold a group of detained Serbian civilians and prisoners of war in inhumane conditions in “Stala” prison in Rovasi in the course of 1992 and 1993.

“Other soldiers told me that some inhumane things were happening in that prison. They said that the detainees were beaten up. They also said that some soldiers visited the prison in order to maltreat the detainees when they would loose a close family member. This was some kind of a revenge,” Aljukic said, adding that Hodzic “established the TD Staffs”.

Second Prosecution witness Esad Maljisevic said that Adil Omerovic, who, according to him was Hodzic’s deputy, appointed him as commander of a squad in Rovasi in June 1992. As indicated by Prosecutor Sanja Jukic, this witness said, in his earlier statement given to the Prosecution of BiH, that indictee Hodzic, and not Omerovic, had appointed him as a commander.

“Each of us received a written decision about our appointment, which was signed by Ferid Hodzic. He collaborated with Omerovic in the Staffs. Commander Hodzic could not have personally conveyed the news to us every time,” Maljisevic explained.

This witness said that policemen used to guard “Stala” prison, but he did not know who captured and detained the prisoners.

Third Prosecution witness Adil Omanovic, former chief of the Staffs in Rovasi, said that he met indictee Hodzic in May 1992, when he was commander of the TD in Vlasenica. He also said that he had commanding responsibility for eight squads, which existed in that area.

The examination of this witness is due to continue on Wednesday, May 14, 2008.

The Prosecution of BiH then examined Zeljko Karan, court medicine expert, who conducted an analysis of the remains of Dusan Cestic, which were found in Macesi village in Milici, in 2006. He was not able to determine “the exact cause of death” due to “the damage of bones and skull,” which were detached from each other.