Local Justice – Zenica: Parts of Facade Stuck into Skin

According to the Zenica Cantonal Prosecution’s charges, Krkalic, a retired policeman from Tesanj, is charged with having extorted admissions of weapon possession from three Serb civilians by beating them, in June and July 1992.Witness Vlado Nunic told the Court that indictee Krkalic and another policeman arrested him and took him to the “LM” cafe in Jelah, which was used by police. He said that he was “too afraid to ask where they were taking him or why”.“Atif and I were alone in that room. He first slapped in my face very hard. He then pulled me by my hair twice and banged my head against the wall, so parts of the facade stuck into my skin. He asked me about some bombs. I knew nothing about them,” Nunic said, adding that he was kept there for examination for between ten and 15 hours and that they had not met again.Witness Nunic told the Court that the local residents of Rosulje village, Tesanj municipality, where he lived, belonged to “different ethnic groups”, adding that Serbs received “about 20 pieces of arms”.“I was assigned with a machine gun. I guess it was because I was strong and young. However, we returned the guns after our representatives had made an agreement with police,” Nunic explained.Hajrudin Coric, owner of the “LM” cafe, confirmed that the Army and police used the building for their purposes.At this hearing the Prosecution Office announced that it would examine four more witnesses, while the Defence said that it would examine 13.Mustafa Cerovac, Defence attorney of indictee Krkalic, said that he would prove his client’s innocence, because the only thing linking him with the alleged crime was the fact that he worked as a policeman in the referenced period of time.The trial is due to continue on March 12. Dž.S.