Witness Found Prisoner Hanged in Kladanj

The witness, Krsto Andric, said that, on June 7, 1992, per soldiers’ instruction, he had to leave the house in the village of Lupoglavo together with his father and brother. With other villagers he was brought to the house of Sreten Milosevic, where the defendant, Safet Mujcinovic came, who was, according to the witness, police chief in Stupari.

“They asked me to go and bring back the hidden weapons. Safet told the others to kill me if I try to run. Zijad kicked me in the shoulder and said: ‘The Serb dog should be killed’,” said the witness.

Safet Mujcinovic is charged with crimes committed in Kladanj, because he failed to prevent or punish his subordinates, while Zijad Hamzic is charged as company commander and later the battalion commander of the Territorial Defece in Stupari. Together with them, charged are former policeman Kahro Vejzovic, Ramiz Halilovic Selman Busnov, Nusret Muhic, Nedzad Hodzic, Hariz Habibovic and Osman Gogic

Andric said they were handed out weapons from the Serb Democratic Party, but that he turned them over earlier.

The witness said he went towards the village of Mujanovic, into the woods, but he found a torn bag there and weapons gone, so he went back. After that, with another 25 men, he was taken to the local community office in Stupari, while some of them were put into teacher apartments.

“Safet Mujcinovic was down there when we arrived. Ismet Butkovic, together with Kahro Vejzovic, took people to interrogation in the nearby school,” said the witness, who stayed in the local community office till December 18, 1992.

Andric said that Radovan Djokic and Ladimir Dragic were taken from the office, and were returned all beaten up. “Djokic had visible bruises from the beating and had difficulty walking. Dragic was also beaten up and he told me they would kill him, he won’t stay alive. In the morning, we found him hanged in the room,” recalled the witness.

He said that in the local community office they had water, electricity and they found food too. Later they went to the village for meat, and sometimes the guards would bring them slaughtered pigs.

The trial will resume on November 1.