Who Killed Children and Civilians in Foča: Verdict for Fundup to Be Pronounced on Friday

The State Court will, on December 11, after nine months of trial, pronounce a verdict for Radoman Fundup, accused of murder and abuse of Bosniak civilians in Foča, BIRN reported, as carried by the Bosnian news agency Patria.

According to the indictment, Radoman Fundup, a former member of the Foča Brigade of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS), together with two other individuals, participated in the murders of two children and five other persons, as well as in the wounding of one woman in the settlement of Čohodor Mahala.

He is also accused of abusing three civilians, two of whom were children. With another person, as stated in the indictment, he came to the settlement of Gornje Polje, where they lined up the civilians and cocked their rifles, creating the impression that they would be executed.

The Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina attempted to prove the allegations of the indictment by hearing 13 witnesses, one expert, reading the statement of one witness, and presenting material evidence.

Claiming that the perpetrator of the act in Čohodor Mahala was a distant relative of the accused, one Danilo Fundup, the Defense heard 11 witnesses, including the accused, who testified in his own favor, and submitted a certain number of material exhibits.

During the trial, five witnesses gave their statements under protective measures, and some of them testified without the presence of the public.

Protected witness of the Prosecution C-1 recounted that she recognized one of the two soldiers who, on June 10, 1992, killed her mother-in-law with firearms, and wounded and beat her in Čohodor Mahala.

- It was Fundup. Later I found out his name is Radoman - the witness stated, noting that one of the soldiers went upstairs, from where screams and a gunshot were heard.

Witnesses Tihomir Vidović and protected witness C-3 said they saw the wounded C-1, and that C-3 told them she had been wounded by Fundup.

- Maybe she told me the name, but I don't remember - added witness C-3.

Knowledge of the murders

Kadir Dželilović, Ifeta Šoro, Murat Borovina and Sakib Puriš, also witnesses of the Prosecution, said they learned of the deaths of family members from other relatives, friends or neighbors.

Dželilović explained that he has knowledge that his “mother was killed by the Fundups” and that his daughter-in-law was wounded at the time, while Puriš stated that his mother-in-law told him that his parents were killed by Radoman Fundup.

Regarding the circumstances of the second count of the indictment, brothers Selvedin and Edin Bićo, their mother Sakiba, and protected witness C-4 testified.

The Bićo brothers, who were minors at the time, recounted how at the end of May or beginning of June 1992, two soldiers came to their house, one of whom had a tied scarf around his head, and took them together with Ferid Hodžić to the bank of the Drina River, where they were told to go down a steep slope.

- On the street there were two persons – Fundup Radoman and that man unknown to me. Radoman cocked his rifle. I remember hearing my brother and Ferid crying - said Selvedin, adding that he heard the name Radoman Fundup from a tenant.

His brother Edin recalled that what stood out to him was when a female voice was heard from the direction of the high-rises saying: “Radomane, what are you doing? Leave those innocent children alone.” According to the witness, the soldier with the headband turned around and there was silence, and then they were released.

Testifying in his own favor, the accused said that the participant in the events in Čohodor Mahala was his relative Danilo Fundup.

- The participant in this event is some distant relative of mine. I thought he would come forward himself, but nothing came of that - Fundup stated, noting that he learned that “the esteemed gentleman does not want to go to prison.”

Calling for murders

He testified that on June 10, 1992, he was at a funeral in Čohodor Mahala, after which he went to the deceased's house. There, as he stated, were also Danilo Fundup and one Radislav Radović, both armed.

His relative, according to the accused, “called for 'people to go down to beat them','' after which the accused told him to sit down, and he left the house together with Radović. Fundup recalled that he then heard bursts of gunfire and concluded “that was it.”

He stated that he knows nothing regarding the second count of the indictment, which states that he abused civilians.

Defense witness Branko Banović said that in the summer of 1992, he arrested a man who killed civilians in Čohodor Mahala. He pointed out that this person introduced himself as Fudnup, but that it was not the accused.

Dalibor Stojanović recounted that in Čohodor Mahala he saw the killing of neighbor Nasuf Puriš, and the bodies of other neighbors, but that he did not see the accused.

Witnesses Dragan and Dojčilo Fundup and Borislav Fundić testified that in June 1992 they were at a funeral and in the deceased's house in Čohodor Mahala, where they saw the accused, but also Danilo Fundup.

Dragan and Dojčilo Fundup stated that they heard Danilo calling “to go kill” and that, a few minutes after Danilo and Radislav Radović left, gunshots were heard. They said they heard about the murders in Čohodor Mahala the next day.

In response to the Defense witnesses, the Prosecution heard Danilo Fundup and read the statement of Momčilo Bodiroga, who could not attend the trial due to illness.

Danilo Fundup said that in June 1992, after a funeral, he went to the deceased's house in Čohodor Mahala, and that at 2:30 PM he went to his own house by bus. He stated that Momčilo Bodiroga returned with him, which Bodiroga also confirmed in his statement.

Danilo Fundup denied that he was arrested by civilian or military police. He added that he received threats by phone “if he says anything against Radoman.”

In December last year, Fundup surrendered to the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), and the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina ordered him into custody, which was later replaced by prohibitive measures, NAP reports.