VUKOVAR VUKOVAR, July 7 (Hina) - Testimonies given on Wednesday by witnesses Damir Lili and Ivica Vlaho marked the continuation of the trial which began before the Vukovar County Court May 25 against 22 persons accused of genocide and
war crimes against civilian population during the Serb occupation of Vukovar. Only one of the accused, Stevan Curnic was present at today's hearing while the others charged are being tried in absentia. Damir Lili who testified today was a member of the reserves of the National Guard Corps (ZNG) from May 1991. When the Yugoslav army occupied Vukovar on November 18, he was stationed in a house where he had been wounded by shrapnel. From November 18 to 20, he was detained in the Velepromet warehouse. In response to a question by defence attorney Stjepan Sporcic, Lili answered that he had not been hit by Stevan Curnic nor had he abused him in any way. "There were several people who wore hoods on their head
VUKOVAR, July 7 (Hina) - Testimonies given on Wednesday by
witnesses Damir Lili and Ivica Vlaho marked the continuation of the
trial which began before the Vukovar County Court May 25 against 22
persons accused of genocide and war crimes against civilian
population during the Serb occupation of Vukovar.
Only one of the accused, Stevan Curnic was present at today's
hearing while the others charged are being tried in absentia.
Damir Lili who testified today was a member of the reserves of the
National Guard Corps (ZNG) from May 1991. When the Yugoslav army
occupied Vukovar on November 18, he was stationed in a house where
he had been wounded by shrapnel. From November 18 to 20, he was
detained in the Velepromet warehouse.
In response to a question by defence attorney Stjepan Sporcic, Lili
answered that he had not been hit by Stevan Curnic nor had he abused
him in any way. "There were several people who wore hoods on their
heads and who entered the Velepromet warehouse taking away
individuals, I recognised Stevan Curnic amongst them because he
didn't wear a hood, and Boro Latinovic who did have a hood but I
recognised his voice", Lili said.
He also said that he and other prisoners were loaded onto a bus on
November 20 and 21, 1991 by the Yugoslav army and then taken via
Negoslavce to the Stajicevo concentration camp, located in
Yugoslavia. He was exchanged after spending 31 days in detention.
The second witness, Ivica Vlaho was a police officer since November
1990. With the occupation of the Yugoslav army on November 18, he
was interned at the Vukovar general hospital where he had dressed in
civilian clothing. The same day the JNA took him from the hospital
to the Velepromet warehouse where he was abused.
At the warehouse, he recognised Marko Crevara, as they had worked
together in the police force prior to that.
"I saw him at Velepromet in a uniform. I did not see him personally
abuse any one or take anyone away. I didn't see him again at the
Stajicevo or Mitrovica (Yugoslavia) concentration camps and I
don't remember that any of my colleagues had mentioned seeing
him".
Witnesses Jelka Zeljko and Vladimir Fras called to testify today,
did not turn up to the trial. Fras was excused due to health
problems. He presented a health certificate signed July 6, 1999
according to which he is suffering from post-traumatic syndrome
(PTS), and as such is not fit to attend the trial.
(hina) sp jn