Witnesses Didn’t See Sejdalija Covic in Rapatnica Detention Facility

Ekrem Ibracevic, Sejdalija Covic and Faruk Smajlovic have been charged with committing crimes against Serb civilians detained in Rapatnica and Luke. According to the charges, Ibracevic was the chief of military security with the municipal headquarters of the Territorial Defense in Srebrenik, while Smajlovic and Covic were military policemen.

Osman Mujic, the former commander of the civil protection unit in Rapatnica and a local imam, testified at today’s hearing. Mujic said the military police invaded the local community premises on June 18, 1992, when they brought in two groups of Serb civilians.

He said Bego Kesetovic, the very popular president of the local community, was killed on the same day.

“The military police came on that day, because they began bringing Serb citizens to the hall in the lower part of the building. We [the crisis committee] were in a session, when the chaos began because people heard that Bego had been killed,” Mujic said.

He said the military police commander who was addressed as a caption said, “I hold you responsible for these men!” He said he found out later on that the commander’s name was Ekrem Ibracevic.

Mujic said he called upon a local resident and member of the police force to guard the entrance armed with a gun, “so no inappropriate things would happen.” In the meantime, he said many members of the Kesetovic family appeared, as well as a man with an axe.

“Another minivan arrived, bringing in four or five people…I realized the situation would go out of control, so I said the captain should come right away. I said I was no longer responsible for those men…He then provided two military policemen,” Mujic said.

He said he encountered Ibracevic again in the early evening. He said Ibracevic asked him to provide mats to the detainees so that they wouldn’t have to sleep on the concrete floor. Mujic said he and others brought in mats from the local mosque and placed them on the stage boards in the hall.

“There were between eight and ten detainees. I didn’t notice any bruises. They were low-spirited, dressed in civilian clothes. I knew Zarko, the teacher,” Mujic said.

Mujic said that as far as military policemen were concerned, he used to see Mustafa Covic, Sejdalija Covic’s brother, in front of the building in Rapatnica. He said Covic was also known as Muce, and was “not exactly the kindest person.” He said he used to see Sejdalija Covic at the checkpoint in the town.

Mujic said the Covic brothers had a strained relationship and that they “could not even walk down the street together”.

Dzemal Buljubasic, the former president of the local community in Rapatnica, also testified at today’s hearing. He also confirmed that the Covic brothers were in conflict.

He said he saw the older brother, Mustafa, in front of the building were Serbs were detained on two occasions. He said he didn’t see defendant Sejdalija Covic there at all.

The trial will continue on April 5.