Golubovic: Information About Murders

Zahida Hukara, who appeared as a Prosecution witness at the trial for crimes committed in Podkolun village, near Foca, claims that her husband Bajro told her that “the Vukovic and Golubovic family members” killed her father-in-law and his sister in May 1992. 

“On that day Pasana Sejfic and I were digging our potato fields. At some stage Pasana approached me, telling me to run away as they were coming. Then I saw four armed men coming towards us. We ran away to the woods. My father-in-law Avdija said he would stay at home,” Hukara explained.

The witness said that, from the woods, he could see two “armed men” standing in front of her house, adding that one of them entered the house. She said they heard shooting after that.

Golubovic is charged with having participated, together with his brother Ranko and brothers Ranko and Rajko Vukovic, in the murder of two civilians in Podkolun village, Foca Municipality, in late May 1992.

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina pronounced a first-instance verdict, sentencing the Vukovic brothers to 12 years’ imprisonment for the same crime. However, the verdict was revoked and the retrial is now underway. 

“Later the four men left. As they were leaving they started shooting twice. An hour later Bajro came to us, telling me that they had killed old man Avdija and his sister Mejra,” Hukara said.

This witness said that her husband told her that his father and aunt had been killed by “members of the Vukovic and Golubovic families”, adding that he had seen “Ranko, Rajko, Blagoje and Ranko” in the village that day.

In late April 2009 the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina examined Bajro Hukara, who said that he saw indictee Golubovic in Podkolun village on the day his father and aunt were killed.

“When we came to the house, we found old man Avdija. There were blood stains in the room. Bajro wrapped him in a plastic bag. He made a coffin and then we buried him in the garden by the house. Later I saw Mejra’s body as well. It was covered in blood. They buried her three days later,” Hukara said.

During cross-examination the Defence of Golubovic asked the witness, among other things, about the Podkolun village residents, the way in which she used to dig her potato field and what the area in which the field was located was called.

Towards the end of Hukara’s cross-examination the Trial Chamber cautioned Bajro Cilic, Golubovic’s Defence attorney, for saying that the witness “was making things up”.

The trial is due to continue on Thursday, May 14.