OSIJEK, Sept 5 (Hina) - The trial of Lieutenant Nikola Ivankovic (aged 43) and Sergeant Enes Viteskic (aged 33), who are suspected of killing 19 Serb civilians in the village of Paulin Dvor in December 1991, resumed before the county
court in the eastern city of Osijek on Friday with the hearing of witnesses.
OSIJEK, Sept 5 (Hina) - The trial of Lieutenant Nikola Ivankovic
(aged 43) and Sergeant Enes Viteskic (aged 33), who are suspected of
killing 19 Serb civilians in the village of Paulin Dvor in December
1991, resumed before the county court in the eastern city of Osijek
on Friday with the hearing of witnesses. #L#
Witness Darko Ropac, of Zagreb, who was chief of the medical service
in the Osijek area of operations at the time, said he had learned
about the killing that very night when he was summoned to report to
the command headquarters.
"There was already a large number of people there. (Commander of the
Osijek area of operations) Karl Gorinsek told us what had happened,
after which we discussed what to do. It was concluded that those
killed should be buried as soon as possible, and that the bodies
should be collected by the medical service of the brigade stationed
in the area," Ropac (aged 56) said.
Ropac added that after the meeting at the headquarters he went to
relay the order to the chief of the brigade medical service, Josip
Malesa, after which he returned to Osijek.
The witness went on to say that "while I was in the brigade, I heard
that the crime was committed by one of our soldiers who was so drunk
that he was asleep and no one could wake him up".
"Next morning Malesa told me that the job was done, but I did not ask
how it was done or where. I remember that he told me that if
something similar happened again I should not use members of his
service as undertakers because they found the burial rather
sickening".
Ropac said he knew that the house in which the civilians had been
killed was blown up the following day.
Boris Dumencic, who at the time was commander of the medical squad
of the 3rd battalion of the 107th brigade, said that his squad was in
a house at the entrance into the village when a guard "suddenly
knocked on their window and said in panic that a group of masked
soldiers had come, threatening to shoot him unless he let them into
the village".
When we came out, we were approached by the group of masked soldiers
who said they had come to avenge the death of their comrade-in-arms.
Soon a vehicle came along and another group of masked soldiers came
out, saying that they had come "to check with their knives if
everyone is dead". They went into the house, stayed there for a few
minutes and said, "it's all over now, we've checked", before they
left, the witness said.
When they left, I informed the headquarters in Vladislavci about
everything, Dumencic said, adding that he did not recognise any of
the soldiers although some of them took off their masks, because it
was dark.
The trial continues.
(hina) vm