Milan Brkić (18) and Filip Marjanović (19) from Belgrade, accused of robbing a bank in Berane, claim that they had no accomplices and that Goran Milašinović (39) from Barana and Miloš Ceković (32) from Podgorica had nothing to do with the theft of money from Prva banka.
The two said this yesterday in the High Court in Bijelo Polje, before which all four are responsible for the robbery of Prva banka controlled by Aco Đukanović. In March, EUR 161.036,10 was stolen from the Beran branch of that bank.
The citizens of Belgrade claimed that they hatched the plan for the robbery in Podgorica, and then took a taxi to Berane. Brkić said that he met another Goran Mihailović near that city, but that he also had nothing to do with the robbery.
"In front of the bank, me and Marjanović put phantoms on our heads and robbed the bank," Brkić said.
Admitting to the robbery, he said that he did not have a real gun, but a replica that he bought legally in Belgrade. Marjanović, on the other hand, said that he "brought a real gun to himself from Belgrade, and a cowardly gun to Brkić".
They also talked differently about whose idea it was to rob the bank - Brkić that it was his, and Marjanović the opposite. Their statements also differ in the part of taxi payment. Brkić said that he paid 110 euros for part of the ride, and Marjanović that he gave him 50 euros "when they got out of the car in Berane".
Brkić said that they threw the bag with money and pistols into a canal on the way to Rozaje, while Marjanović claimed that "immediately after the robbery, they ran to Lim and threw the money, because they were scared when they saw the policemen at the exit".
The defendants spoke differently about the reason for stopping by Berane - one to go eat, and the other to see friends. Brkić did not comment on the robbery itself, while Marjanović admitted that he shot in the air as a warning sign:
"Because the employee did not open the safe, but stood by it confused".
"After that, she unlocked it, and I opened the safe and took the money from there as well as from the drawer, after which we hurriedly walked to the taxi that was waiting for us in the nearby parking lot," said Marjanović.
Both were adamant that Milašinović and Ceković had nothing to do with the robbery and that they first heard about them from the indictment. Brkić said that he slept along the road, and Marjanović said that they talked.
Their testimonies also differ in the part involving the involvement of taxi driver Ceković, who told the third version in the courtroom. Brkić explained that they "hitchhiked a taxi" and agreed that he would drive them to Belgrade, before stopping in Berane, Marjanović that they found him in the parking lot near the bus station, and that the taxi driver had ordered their transportation to Goran Mihailović.
Ceković revealed that Milašinović is his godfather, whom he loves like himself, and that he drove him that morning, "dead drunk", from his friend's apartment to his girlfriend's building, where he "practically carried him out of the car". He claims he hasn't seen him since that morning.
"Then Goran Mihailović called me and ordered me to transport some of his friends to Beran, and then to Belgrade for 225 euros," he said.
Ceković claimed that Milašinović had nothing to do with the robbery:
"I came across the story of Goran Mihailović, who, in front of Berane, made me swear on my deathbed not to tell him that he was in Berane. Milašinović is now in prison because of Goran Mihailović".
Milašinović said that he had nothing to do with the robbery, and that he could not engage in such a thing - because he knows that the police are following him, as a person of security interest.
He added that he was in Berane that day to get jackets from a friend.
Brkić and Marjanović were arrested in Rozaje after the robbery, Milašinović, an alleged member of the international group of diamond robbers "Pink Panther" was arrested on July 3 in Bar, when Ceković was also arrested.
"I was beaten by nine policemen from Rožaj and Beran"
Miloš Ceković from Podgorica, one of the accused for the robbery of the Beran branch of Prva banka, claims that he experienced real torture after his arrest. In the courtroom of the Bjelopolje High Court yesterday, he told that the police beat him after his arrest in July and that he was blue.
"I was beaten by nine police officers from Beran and Rožaj, but I kept quiet about it because of my family," said Ceković.
He is accused of driving the thieves in a "Peugeot" in the direction of Rožaj on March 13, after the Belgraders robbed the bank.
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