Local Justice – Trninic: Beating inside a House

Kadira Purivatra said that indictee Trninic, who was accompanied by another policeman, forced her husband to go inside the house and beat him up.

“When I entered the house, he was sitting on a chair quietly. One of his teeth was missing. The policemen came back later on. Trninic forced Husein out of the house, while hitting him with his legs, hands and a police baton,” said Kadira Purivatra.

The Banja Luka District Prosecution charges Trninic, former member of police from Gradiska, with having come to Husein Purivatra’s house in Rovine village, near Gradiska on August 6, 1993, beat Putivatra up and left. It alleges that he then came back and beat him up once more. Husein died one day later due to injuries caused by the beating.

Zivko Zivkovic, former Chief of the Section for Fight against Crime with the Police Station in Gradiska, testified for the District Prosecution at this hearing. He said that he could not remember Purivatra’s case very well.

“I am not sure if I was at work or on annual leave at the time. I cannot remember if a report on that event was filed. If it was filed, it had to be registered in the records,” Zivkovic said.

Third witness Zoran Sijak, former police inspector from Gradiska, said that, in 1993 he was informed about the death of Husein Purivatra and he then went to his house in Rovine.

“I attended the crime scene inspection, which lasted between 30 and 45 minutes. I saw Purivatra’s body. I did not notice bruises on it. The doctor said that he died a natural death. I took a statement from Kadira Purivatra, who said that Husein was an alcoholic and mentally deranged. She said that two policemen had beaten him up,” Sijak said.

Sijak told the Court that he did not check who the policemen, who had beaten Purivatra up, were.

The trial is due to continue on November 16, when another Prosecution witnesses will be examined and closing statements presented.