State Prosecution Witness Says His Father Claimed Mile Kokot Shot Him

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 from 1992 to 1994. The alleged crimes include acts of murder, rape, assault, theft, as well as other kinds of mental and physical abuse.

State prosecution witness Dzemal Ceric said he was in Banja Luka on July 25, 1992, when a man named Ratko Vukicevic called him and told him his father Tahir had been wounded. Ceric said he initially contacted the health center in Sanski Most, and then made several calls to a hospital in Prijedor, where his father had been transferred.

“When I called for the third time, they told me my father had already died,” Ceric said.

Ceric said he found out that on the day of his father’s death, soldiers who had recently returned from battle appeared in front of a school building near his family’s house. According to Ceric, as soon as they got out of their trucks they started shooting.

Ceric said his parents, brother and a neighbour were in their house when the attack began. According to Ceric, Mile Kokot and Goran Mrdja entered their yard. He said his father told his mother, brother and neighbour to hide in a pantry when they heard banging on the door.

“When my father went out, Mile Kokot pushed him with his rifle. He moved towards the road, hoping somebody would come and help him,” Ceric said. He said his father was shot at that moment, and that his brother ran out of the house and saw their father lying in a pool of blood.

Ceric confirmed that he wasn’t at the crime scene and that his version of events originated from his brother and mother. He said his brother had seen Mile Kokot holding a rifle and pushing his father, and had also heard a gunshot.

“My uncle came and carried my father into an ambulance with my brother and Dejan. At that moment my father said, ‘Dejan, Mile Kokot shot me.’ My uncle and brother and everyone heard that,” Ceric said, responding to questions from the trial chamber.

Ceric said he knew Mile Kokot, but hadn’t known Goran Mrdja at the time.

Izet Kamber was the second witness to testify at today’s hearing. Kamber said he regularly left the village of Pobrijezje to go to a location where he had work obligations, but once hid in order to avoid being taken away to Grabez.

“I heard from those who had already been there that Sefer, Sejo and Fadil had been beaten. I heard that Kinez had beaten them…Fadil and Sead told me that 10 or 15 days after their return,” Kamber said.

According to the prosecution’s allegations, Kinez is defendant Goran Mrdja’s nickname.

The trial will continue on February 1.