Former Member of Rasavacka Company Describes Zecovi Attack

Defendants Dusan Milunic, Radomir Stojnic, Radovan Cetic, Dusko Zoric, Zoran Stojnic, Zeljko Grbic, Ilija Zoric, Zoran Milunic, Bosko Grujicic, Ljubisa Cetic, Rade Grujcic, Uros Grujcic, Zdravko Antonic and Rajko Gnjatovic have been charged with committing acts of murder, torture, sexual violence, as well as destructing and confiscating property from the local residents of Zecovi, a village near Prijedor.

Milunic was the commander of the Rasavacka Company of the Sixth Battalion of the 43rd Brigade of the Bosnian Serb Army. Stojnic was the commander of the reserve police station in Rasavci. Radovan Cetic was the president of the Serbian Democratic Party and crisis committee in the village of Rasavci. The other defendants were members of the Bosnian Serb military, police and other formations.

Dragan Polovina served under defendant Dusko Milunic with the Rasavacka Company, and testified at today’s hearing upon the state prosecution’s request. Polovina described the day of the attack on Zecovi.

“I was late on that day, when the collection of weapons and the expulsion civilians took place. When I arrived, the only person I saw was company commander Dusko Milunic,” Polovina said.

Polovina said he went to Zecovi with Ostoja and Milan Bilbija. He said they walked through the village towards a main road, and also saw Vlado Mrsic and defendant Bosko Grujicic in the village.

“Milunic told us we should search the houses and collect weapons. I didn’t enter any of the houses,” Polovina said. He said he didn’t know if any of the other soldiers did so.

Polovina said he saw a bus with civilians in front of a cafe in the village. He said the bus was surrounded by soldiers and police officers.

“Ostoja Bilbija, Milan Bilbija and I went there [the cafe]. The bus was parked there. Civilians, women and children were in it. Soldiers and police officers who I didn’t know surrounded the bus,” he said.

Polovina said he didn’t know whether they were military officers or civil police officers. He said they were dressed in blue uniforms.

He said he went home afterwards, but didn’t know where Milunic went.

Responding to a question by trial chamber chair Saban Maksumic, Polovina confirmed having observed more than 20 soldiers at a certain distance while he was in Zecovi.

The trial will continue on September 4.