Captured in Front of Post Office

Witness Davud Gvozdenovic said that local residents gathered in front of the post office in Bravsko village on June 28, 1992 and that he found out from them that three unknown young men had been captured.

“Two captives stood there with their hands up, facing the post office wall, while the third one was talking to somebody. I did not stay there for long, about 20 minutes. I heard later on that those had been captured by Rade Sobot and Dane Babic and that one of the captives was killed in front of the Post Office, while the two others were killed next to Dervis’ pit,” Gvozdenovic said.

He confirmed that he saw indictee Stricevic among the gathered residents, adding that, as far as he could remember, he was not armed.

Witness Dane Babic said that a neighbour told him that morning that three young men had come to the village and asked for directions to Bihac.

“I saw those men nearby. They were exhausted, tired. Later on local residents told me that Obren Ozegovic killed two of the captives near the Dervis’ pit,” the witness said.

Stricevic, former member of reserve forces of Republika Srpska police, is charged with having killed three captives – Mustafa Cikota, Emsud Smailovic and Sadko Burnic, acting in collaboration with Obrad Ozegovic and Milutin Babic, the then members of the Republika Srpska Army, in the second half of June 1992.

Witness Stevan Latinovic confirmed that he saw a dead prisoner in front of the post office, but he did not know who killed him.

He told the Court that he went towards the Dervis’ pit locality together with other local residents, adding that they took the killed prisoner’s body and the two other prisoners to that location.

“I heard two bursts of bullets, but I was afraid and bended down, so I could not see who shot them,” Latinovic said.

Just like the three other witnesses, witness Milorad Karanovic did not directly link suspect Stricevic with this crime during his testimony.

Defence attorney Jovo Pilipovic requested the Court again to interrupt the trial and order an expert examination of Stricevic’s health condition. The Defence said that the indictee suffered from heart disease and that he was under high doses of medications, adding that he could not actively participate at the trial.

Trial Chamber Chairman Reuf Kapic rejected the proposal, explaining that fewer witnesses were examined, that breaks were ordered during hearings and that hearings were scheduled every 30 days.

The main trial is due to continue on May 6.