Witness Statements Read at Mrdja and Kokot Trial

The state prosecution has charged Goran Mrdja, Milorad Mrdja, Ranko Mrdja and Mile Kokot, all former members of the Sixth Sanska Infantry Brigade of the Bosnian Serb Army, with participating in crimes against Bosniaks in the Sanski Most area. The alleged crimes include acts of murder, rape, assault, theft, as well as other kinds of mental and physical abuse.

A statement given by witness Smail Mehic on August 21, 2014 was read aloud in court. Mehic said he went to the village of Gorice from the village of Skucani Vakuf as a refugee in April 1993.

Mehic said he saw some men drinking in Luska Palanka, including a man named Goran, who was nicknamed Kinez. Mehic said he heard he heard singing in the early evening. He said the voices sounded like they were coming from Sefer Pasic’s home. He said he then heard two gunshots and cries for help. He said he heard that Sefer Pasic was wounded.

In his statement, Mehic said his neighbours told him about the murder of Hasib Velic and the intrusion of 13 houses. He said he saw Hasib Velic’s body on the following day.

A statement given by witness Suvada Pasic on October 16, 2014 was also read at today’s hearing. Pasic said two soldiers came to her house in Skucani Vakuf one evening during the spring of 1993. She said the soldiers banged on the door and cursed them.

According to Pasic’s statement, one of the soldiers hit her husband Mesud and asked about a man named Hasan. She said that one of the soldiers asked for money, and that she gave him 70 Marks and some gold jewelry. She said they took her husband away. Pasic said her husband came back later. She said she thought the soldiers had beaten him outside.

Pasic said she didn’t know Goran Mrdja and that she only saw shadows that night.

Pasic said her husband was beaten in the summer of 1993 after she had gone to Gorice. She said they heard noise and that her husband went to his mother’s house to warn her.

“Mesud came back with two men. They pushed him into the corridor. I saw he was shaken up…They asked us for money and golden jewelry. One of them hit Fajko,” she said.

According to Pasic, shouting could be heard in the village on the following morning. Her husband, who was covered with bruises and visibly beaten, informed her that Hasib Velic had been killed.

The trial will continue on October 19.