The former director of the Police Administration, Slavko Stojanović, pleaded guilty today in the High Court in Podgorica to the criminal offense of abuse of official position, that is, in connection with the smuggling of cigarettes that were found in the truck. He said he was sorry.
Defendant Stojanović pleaded not guilty to illegal possession of a gun.
His defense lawyer, Miroslav Adžić, said before the court panel that the defense offered a proposal to conclude a plea agreement. Special State Prosecutor Jovan Vukotić stated that the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) refuses this.
Stojanović was charged with criminal offenses of abuse of official position and illegal possession of weapons and explosive materials. It is suspected that he damaged the state coffers by 112.504 euros by abusing his official position.
"From the evidence gathered in the reconnaissance and investigation, there is a well-founded suspicion that the defendant, on March 31, 2018, in Podgorica, as an official and public functionary, by unlawfully using his official position and authority, obtained material benefits and caused damage to others, and the value of the acquired property benefits exceeds the amount of thirty thousand euros, because, in his capacity as director of the Police Administration of Montenegro, who manages its work, and after learning that his friend's truck with cigarettes was stopped in Podgorica without the necessary documentation and with the intention of preventing the police, in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Rulebook on the manner of performing certain police duties and the application of authority in the performance of such duties, collects information from the truck driver, temporarily confiscates the truck and cigarettes from him, in order to provide items that can be used as evidence and submitted a criminal complaint to the state prosecutor, issued an order for the police to let the driver continue driving the truck with cigarettes," stated state prosecutor and SDT spokesman Vukas Radonjić earlier in the statement.
Today, Stojanović said in his defense before the court that during that period he was under professional and moral pressure because, as he stated, the security situation was complex. He added that there were murders that they had information about, but they were unable to prevent them. He was also affected by the fact that innocent people were killed, and because of all that, he made irrational decisions.
Referring to the accusations of cigarette truck smuggling, he stated: "On the critical day, 31.3.2018/XNUMX/XNUMX, I was called by a friend who, as far as I remember, told me that a cigarette truck had been stopped and asked me to help him because he was in the honor of his family. I understood that it was an illegal transport. I felt the human need to help, not considering the consequences".
He added that at the time he was under pressure due to the complex security situation and that he was not thinking rationally.
"Dražen Čađenović was killed with explosives in those days. We had information that Čađenović was being liquidated, he was being followed, but his escort lost him and he was killed. I live in the City quarter, where I felt the explosion. It affected me," Stojanović said. adding that there was also a murder in which Jovanović also died.
He emphasized that he sincerely regrets the decision he made lightly, without justifying himself. "I considered that any innocent victim was not worthy of my position and I resigned," he stressed.
He added that he was sorry because, with an ill-considered decision, he had discredited the institution he had been at the head of for forty years.
He explained that he borrowed the gun as part of his professional service.
"When I resigned, the first day, I took the gun to my mother," he said.
As he stated, he was waiting for a call from a colleague with whom he had been communicating regarding the discharge of weapons. He added that he got that gun from a colleague, the assistant of the Ministry of the Interior at the time.
"It was handed to me in the cabinet, and then a contingent of those pistols arrived, which were assigned to police officers by decision of the MUP. I don't know how the documentation for that got lost. It's not a personal weapon," said Slavko Stojanović in defense.
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