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Davorin Pelemis, indictee Momir Pelemis’ son, said his father’s health was bad in July 1995, adding he spent more time at home and in hospital than in the Battalion’s Command.
“I spent most of June and July 1995 at the doctor’s with my father. I remember he was on sick leave all the time. At that time we found out he also suffered from angina pectoris,” Pelemis said.
The State Prosecution has charged Momir Pelemis, former Deputy Commander and Chief of Headquarters of the First Battalion with Zvornik Brigade of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, and Slavko Peric, former Assistant Commander for Security with the same Brigade, with having participated in the murder of several hundreds of Srebrenica residents in the Cultural Center in Pilica and on Branjevo military farm in July 1995.
Davorin Pelemis said that Milan Stanojevic called his father on July 2, 1995, and told him he knew Pelemis was severely sick, but he had to go to the Battalion Command building and be with soldiers because Sanojevic had to go to Bratunac.
“My father went there unwillingly, because he was really sick. He could not oppose Stanojevic. He stayed there until July 20. If only he had stayed at home,” Pelemis said.
Milan Stanojevic, former Commander of the First Battalion with Zvornik Brigade, testified for the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina earlier at this trial.
The indictment alleges that Pelemis was Acting Commander of the First Battalion from July 9 to 21, 1995. Milan Stanojevic confirmed this allegation during the course of his testimony, saying he was in Bratunac during that period.
During the course of cross-examination witness Pelemis said his father was demobilized in May 1996, when he started working as communal inspector in Zvornik municipality. He worked in the municipality until his arrest in 2008.
“He worked with Bosniaks and Serbs in the municipality. None of them ever complained about his work. He is known as a normal man. This is a purely political trial and everyone knows that. They had to accuse a person from Zvornik. My father has been victimized,” Pelemis said.
The trial is due to continue on November 8, when the Defence of indictee Slavko Peric will present its introductory arguments.
D.E.
