The former manager of the on-call branch in the Podgorica police, Ratko Rondović, and his then-assistant Dušan Raičević, who four years ago, during the stay of the late Aleksandar Pejanović in the detention facilities, were superiors to the police officers guarding the detainees, claim that they did not see, nor did they informed that someone was harassing or beating Pejanović at that time.
They are accused of having created the conditions and removed the obstacles for Pejanović, as yet unknown members of the Intervention Unit, to be beaten several times by not exercising authority within their jurisdiction.
He alleges that after the beating, the two refused to provide him with medical assistance and issued orders that true information about his injuries and claims should not be entered in the official records.
Rondović said that his only contact with Pejanović was when he went on a tour of the detention facilities with police officer Dobrivoj Đuričić, when they briefly talked with him about what he was going to eat and whether he needed anything.
"He said he didn't need anything. At that time, I was covering the workplace where I had to be informed about all the happenings, and in those days I was not informed about any request for medical help, because if there had been that, it would have had to be recorded", said Rondović.
When asked by the judge to clarify a little about what he talked about with Pejanović and whether he noticed any injuries on him, Rondović said that he could not remember very well, but the procedure is to ask the detainee through the window if he needs anything.
"Those were unconditioned rooms, poorly lit, so I can't say whether I noticed any injuries on him, I relied on what was written in the minutes, where it was stated that he came with injuries," he said.
When asked by the prosecution representative to explain how officers perform a physical examination of persons deprived of their liberty upon arrival, Rondović stated that a visual examination of the face and hands is performed in terms of noticing visible injuries, i.e. examination of exposed body parts.
Raičević, who at the disputed time was the head of the shift and Rondović's assistant, said that he did not visit Pejanović and that no one's approval was needed to provide medical assistance to a detained person.
"Each detained person is given an information sheet stating that they have the right to medical assistance, and to hire a doctor of their own choice," Raičević said.
The hearing of the now retired police officer Goran Stanković, who has since been acquitted of all charges for beating Pejanović, after his testimony about beating and torturing Pejanović in the Podgorica concrete mixer four years ago, is scheduled for October 26.
Proceedings against five police officers Ivica Paunović, Milan Kljajević, Milenko Leković, Bojan Radunović and Dobrivoj Đuričić for abusing and torturing Pejanović are ongoing in the Basic Court.
Pejanović was killed in May last year in front of the building where he lives, and police officer Zoran Bulatović was charged with the murder.
Anyone can enter the concrete mixer
When asked by the prosecution to explain whether police officers are required to inform them of any possible problems in the detention facilities and who can enter those premises, Rondović and Raičević stated that theoretically they should be aware of all problems, and that access to the detention rooms is strictly prohibited for everyone, except for the persons in charge of the security of those rooms, but that this is not always the case in practice.
"We often found other police officers sitting in those rooms," said Rondović.
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