Dronjak: Met by Manager

Testifying at the trial for crimes committed in Drvar, a State Prosecution witness says he saw indictee Ratko Dronjak in various buildings, where, he explained, detainees were “often beaten up” and several were killed.

Prosecution witness Muho Masinovic said that he and his brother were arrested near Kulen-Vakuf, Bihac municipality, adding that they spent several months in various detention buildings in the Drvar and Bosanski Petrovac area.

“I was 17 at the time. I had no weapons or anything, but I was held in detention for five months,” Masinovic said, adding that his brother was 19 years old.

Although he was not able to remember when exactly he was arrested, the witness said that he was first detained in Vrtoca and, some time later was transferred to the school building in Drvar, where they were met by the indictee.

“The manager, Ratko Dronjak, met us on our arrival. At that time I did not know it was him, but I found out later. (…) I remember that the Manager once came to the room where we were held and hit a detainee a few times. I cannot remember whether the door was closed or open when I heard a gunshot afterwards,” Masinovic said, adding that he concluded that the detainee had been killed.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Ratko Dronjak, former Commander and Manager of Kamenica detention camp and the Slavko Rodic school building prison with crimes committed in the Drvar area.

Dronjak is charged with having organised the unlawful detention of Bosniak and Croat civilians and prisoners of war from 1992 to 1995. The indictment alleges that the civilians who were held in those facilities were subjected to torture, beating, inhumane treatment and forced labour, while others were killed.

Witness Masinovic said that 17 days after he was captured he was transferred from the school building in Drvar to a nearby village called Prekaja. He said that, a few days later, he was transported, together with other detainees, to the Kozila building in Bosanski Petrovac, adding that he stayed there for two months.

“People were often beaten in that building. I did not see them being beaten, but they were covered with bruises when they came back to the building. (…) While I was in Kozila, I only saw Dronjak upon our arrival,” the witness explained.

Masinovic said that the beating of detainees continued in Kamenica detention camp in Drvar, where he “saw Dronjak ten or fifteen times”.

“Manager Dronjak was in the room when military policemen took five guys away. They said they were taking them to Banja Luka for medical treatment. (…) After I had been exchanged in Karlovac, Croatia, their families were searching for them, but they did not find them,” Masinovic said, adding that he supposed that those detainees were killed.

The witness explained that the beatings in Kamenica “mostly took place at night”. He said that detainees were also taken to other locations to perform forced labour. Masinovic was exchanged, together with his brother and other detainees, in “August or September 1992”.

The trial is due to continue on May 12, 2011.

A.M.A.