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Peric, former member of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, said that, in his capacity as a driver with the “Ludvig Pavlovic” Unit, he drove prisoners of war from the Gabela detention camp to the “Bozo Simunovic” military barracks in Capljina.
“I performed my duties as per an order. I used to drive workers, tinsmiths, car mechanics. I used to work with them, helped them, brought them food, water, cigarettes, clothes. We had a very good relationship. Nobody provoked them,” the indictee said.
He said that he handed a warrant, containing a list of men, whom he was supposed to bring to Capljina, to a military policeman in Gabela detention camp.
Peric testified about his duties as member of HVO, but he also answered questions about injured parties.
The indictment charges Peric with having abetted two HVO members to physically abuse Sefik Kovacic, known as Sudo, behind the military barracks hangar.
Peric is charged with having forced Ekrem Pekaz, Huso Maric, Esad and Mirsad Peco to self- injure themselves by forcing them to jump head first from a point up to 1.5 metres-high onto a concrete floor. He allegedly did this in collaboration with other members of HVO in mid July 1993.
“I did not mistreat Sefik Kovacic, known as Sudo, and the others. I saw Sefik once. I used to see them. I do not feel guilty. I once came to Sudo’s after the war in order to get some parts for a field sprayer. He told me that I should not have come. I asked him why and he told me that I knew why,” Peric said.
The presentation of evidence was completed with his testimony. After that closing statements were presented.
The Prosecution said that it had proved the indictee’s guilt, while the Defence said the opposite, claiming that “guilt cannot be proved on the basis of one witness.”
The Trial Chamber scheduled the pronouncement of a verdict for October 14.
