Witness Describes Rape and Abuse by Croatian Defence Council Members
This post is also available in: Bosnian
Ninkovic is testifying at the trial of Marijan Brnjic, Martin Barukcic, and Ilija and Pavo Glavas, all former members of the 102nd Brigade of the Croatian Defence Council. They are charged with the rape, assault, abuse, humiliation, and intimidation of Serb women during the Bosnian war.
Ninkovic said that Ljubica Lesic was abducted from her house in Novi Grad near Odzak in June 1992. At that time, women and children were in hiding in Ninkovic’s home. According to Ninkovic, Lesic came back the next day, covered in blood. Lesic told her she had been raped.
“She mentioned Marijan Brnjic, Martin Barukcic, and Pavo and Ilija and others…She was crying,” Ninkovic said.
She said that a few days later soldiers and another person abducted her in a van and raped her. Ninkovic said a co-worker threw her into the van.
“They undressed us and let us exit the van naked to go home,” she said, adding that she borrowed clothes from the residents of a nearby house.
The state prosecution presented Ninkovic with a statement she had given during the investigation phase of the case, in which she had said that Lesic told her the defendant’s names, but that she couldn’t remember all of them.
“My son works. I didn’t want to mention names. He was scared for his family. We have land,” Ninkovic said.
“All the women mentioned those names,” she said.
When asked by Plavo Glavas’ defense attorney to list the other names Lesic had given her, Ninkovic said that Lesic had been distraught. However, Ninkovic remembered the four defendants, and said that she had heard of Barukcic for the first time via Lesic.
Ilija Glavas’ defense attorney asked Ninkovic whether she knew of the “Fire Horse” van. Ninkovic said that she was abducted in a van painted in many colors, mostly gray. She said that the words “Fire Horse” were written on the side of the van.
Pavo Glavas asked Ninkovic if she knew him.
“I didn’t say I knew you, I said I heard your name,” Ninkovic replied.
The trial continues on March 10.
