Witness reports where Limaj saw him in the Bellanica case

In the trial of Fatmir Limaj, who is accused of war crimes over the killing of two civilians in the Malisheva area, three people testified.

The three witnesses gave their version of Ramiz Hoxha's murder by Bellanica and Selman Binish from Banja Luka on October 2, 1998.

At the Gjakova court of Gjakovai Binishi showed how his brother Selmani learned that he was killed.

The Witness said that he was not present when his brother in Bellanica was taken from masked persons, but he related the moment he saw him killed.

I heard from Nazmiu that my brother Selmani was killed on the road leading to Semetous. When I went there I saw my brother killed. His face was covered with a oak branch. Behind his head was hit and his chest was covered with blood”, said witness Nuhi Binish.

He also said before the court that the deceased had been buried within the day just as it was, the “so that some of the traces could be preserved so that we could then whiten the fate of the killing”.

The witness indicated that after several days his brother's body had been exhumed by several people, as he said, UN “uniformed”. He added that he has never received a report on the job.

We as a family didn't get any reports from the UN on what they found. But, literally by a woman when I asked her, she told me that your brother died of the firearm, said Noah Binish.

Similarly, during his testimony, Nuhiu said to have asked the Adem Demac office in Pristina about the murder of his brother.

Not long after the murder, I went to Pristina, the office of Adem Demac. There I found not Adam but another stranger. He gave me a phone number for contact, I called him twice, but I didn't get any answers. The third time I called that number, he said, "Don't call me because they don't answer. I was unaware of who will be addressed and who has not returned the answer to my brother killed”, the witness added.

In the case of the case, Nuhi Binish said to have sought information even from accused Fatmir Limaj himself.

When Fatmir was a comfort, I asked him and told him that no one in Albania or Drenica killed my brother. Fatmir told me it might be a secret service and that he has a friend in secret and I'm going to ask him. I've never been returned for this”, Nuhi Binish concluded.

While Ramiz Hodza's brother, Hajriz, told of a meeting they had held with Serbian police at “The Shupa” of Banja a few days before the murder.

He said it was him, his late brother, Bellanica's hoja, a total of 14 people from Bellanica.

“We're here in the village, said the men that's what it is. A man who went and did not have one of them written down, and We decreed that he should go down, except that he should be asked of. Gena went 14 people. I've been on the list of these 14 people, as well as Brother”, Hayriz Hoxha stressed.

Hajrizi later said they have spoken in the village that we are co-operating with Serbian forces. When we're back, we've talked at the mosque about this and there's a word that we've given money and weapons to Serbs and that we've allegedly made deals with Serbian forces, which wasn't true. That day, Serbian forces have withdrawn from “Shupa” of the Banja”, Hayriz Hoxha said.

Although he says there has been very good reports to Fatmir Limaj's father, at a mortore ceremony Hajriz Hoxha said he has asked for clarification of his brother's murder.

I said Kadri Lima, he said hello to Fatmir's son, and tell me if he was my brother traitor and went to his poor man to punish him for dead or to be called to account for who killed him and why”, the witness said.

The son of the late Ramiz Hoxha, Enver, has also testified before the Court today.

He confessed to what he saw on the critical day of his encounter with the accused during the announcement that his father was kidnapped by some in masks.

When I came out to the mosque, I saw Father Ramzin, Uncle Hayriz and a cousin, Ejupin. I saw them at the village exit in a “Golf 2” sitting back, a couple of armed soldiers walked in on them, pointing them at the people, Enver Hoxha.

Enver also told about the meeting he had with Fatmir Limaj during the time he was being put in pursuit of masked persons who had taken his father.

“Ejupi went right into the vehicle and we're heading towards the Banja. I've met Fatmir Limaj all along since then I've met him and now I know he was Skender Hoti. I've stopped asking Fatmir personally. Don't see a car, he hasn't been here two minutes. He said no. He was sitting there with the driver while the other person was sitting in the first chair next to the driver, wearing black clothes like those people who had taken his father's theme, he said.

Further, the witness said that when they told him they didn't see the chair, he was headed toward Banja.

Because Serbian forces have been deployed in Malisheva for days since they could not get there, I am back to the village of Korvasari. And without entering the village of Korvasari, I saw my father killed, another person I didn't know, and now I know it's Selman Binishi”, said the son of the late Ramiz Hoxha.