Defense Witnesses Testify at Vojic and Mesic Trial, Deny Their Involvement in Bihac Rape

Vojic and Mesic, both former members of the 501st Brigade of the Fifth Corps of the Bosnian Army, have been charged with raping a woman and forcing another person to rape her on the night of May 1 or 2, 1994 in Bihac.

Dzevad Hrnjica, a former member of the First Battalion with the 501st Brigade of the Fifth Corps of the Bosnian Army, testified at today’s hearing. He said he “arbitrarily” left his unit along with Adil Vojic, Bekir Mesic, Jasmin Dedic, and Ibrahim Hamzic on that day.

He said they first went to Mesic’s home to have a drink and then intended to go back to the unit afterwards. He said on their way back, Ibrahim Hamzic, nicknamed Baja, told them they would stop at his acquaintance’s house. He said Hamzic told them she would invite them in to have a drink.

“He banged on the door. She didn’t open. She told us to call a neighbour named Boro. Bekir went to his place to pick him up. In the meantime somebody jumped through a window on the ground floor. Baja got mad…Boro came. Baja was already in the house, but I don’t know if he broke in or if she opened the door,” Hrnjica said. He said Vojic and Dedic went inside to bring Hamzic out.

Hrnjica said all five soldiers went to the unit’s base, where they spent the night.

Judge Mehida Pasic asked Hrnjica whether they discussed the incident before going to sleep. Hrnjica said they didn’t. He said he remembered Hamzic saying, “She’s found someone else.”

Hrnjica said the military police arrested them on the following morning.

“A rape report had been filed. But, in the end we weren’t sentenced for rape, but for causing injuries. I was sentenced for only being present at that place. There was medical documentation, confirming that injured party D-1 wasn’t raped,” Hrnjica said. He said Hamzic was killed during the war.

Jasmin Dedic, a former member of the First Battalion with the 501st Brigade of the Fifth Corps of the Bosnian Army, also testified at today’s hearing. He said he was with the other soldiers who appeared in front of D-1’s house on the evening of May 1, 1994.

“Ibrahim entered the house alone…I then went inside with Adil in order to bring Ibrahim out,” Dedic said. Dedic said he and the others stood trial before the court martial in Bihac for the rape of D-1. He said he was found guilty of banditry and violent behaviour.

Vojic will testify in his own defense at the next hearing, scheduled for November 4.