Suspects in the double murder of a brother and sister, Jovana (60) and Milenka Madžgalj (69), Bjelopoljac Alija Balijagić (65) escaped from the prison in Spuz almost three decades ago, but the authorities kept quiet about it.
This was told to "Vijesti" by the former guard of the Spuša prison Drazen Boljević, and his statements were confirmed by another former employee of the prison.
Boljević claims that Balijagić managed to reach the slopes of Bjelasica in two days, where he lost track.
"In 1997, Alija Balijagić was in prison in Spuz. He served some of the sentences for thefts or robberies. Back then it was different in prison and almost all convicts were engaged in work, including him. He escaped from the penitentiary workshop in broad daylight. Four prisoners escaped that day. He, another Bjelopolje and two people from Nikšić", asserts Boljević.
Balijagić has been on the run since October 25, and until last night no one from the authorities disclosed that he allegedly escaped from prison more than a quarter of a century ago. If the claims of Boljević and his former colleague are true, for which "Vijesti" was unable to obtain confirmation from sources from the security services last night, it is unclear whether the authorities did not know about the "undertaking" of the suspect for a double murder, or whether they kept him quiet. It is certain, however, that information about escaping from prison would have to be an integral part of the file of a man who spent almost four decades behind bars...
Boljević says that there was silence about escapes from prison at the time, and claims that he and four colleagues went on a search on their own initiative after Balijagić escaped from prison.
"The three of us decided to help two colleagues on whose shift it happened. Therefore, we searched for him on our own initiative R. S., I. M., Ž. K., DR (names known to the editorial staff) me too," he said.
He states that initially they received information from the convict that could help them - that Balijagić feels safest in the vicinity of the place where he grew up - Bijelo Polje, or near Foča, where he allegedly once hid.
"They told us that they will surely go to Bijelo Polje. We checked cars, buses and trains going north, and then the five of us went to look for him. We were armed only with pistols. We got off the train at Sljepač Most and went into the wilderness for Balijagić. On the slopes of Bjelasica, we met a horseman who told us that he had met a man who matched our description, but also warned us that we had to be careful, because he was carrying a rifle. We reached the facility where he was allegedly hiding, but, according to reports, we were too late - we did not find him. This is a man who does not stop. He reached Bjelasica in such a short period of time and we were on his trail, and now with the complete system that allows locating him, he cannot be found," said Boljević.
He explained that they did not find Balijagić then, but that he was arrested much later.
The duo from Nikšić who escaped on the same day were arrested a few days later, and the fourth, from Bjelopolja, according to his information, reached Turkey.
Boljević recalls that Balijagić escaped at the turn of summer into autumn.
“Although the four of them escaped, they separated immediately after they got far enough behind. I believe that Balijagić was most confident in himself when he was alone and did not even allow anyone to go with him. We had information that he was hiding in a village near Foča...", he said.
He added that Balijagić was withdrawn and obedient in prison, but that he was an unpredictable person.
Answering the questions of "Vijesti" whether anyone was responsible for the escape, he said that there was no one.
"No one was responsible for the escape, only some resigned, and very quickly there were changes... That was the end of it all."
MURDER
On October 25, Balijagić is suspected to have shot people who had fed him and treated him with brandy a few hours earlier with a hunting rifle, most likely a five-shot. He allegedly did this just a few hours after the police, in search of Balijagić, visited the village of Sokolac and the hamlet of Zaboj, where the house of the martyred brother and sister Madžgalj is located.
After he allegedly shot Jovan Madžgalje in the back, his sister managed to call the police and report the crime.
"That's when the relationship ended. He killed her too," the brother of the murdered told "Vijesti" earlier. Velibor Madžgalj.
On the night between October 25 and 26, two cartridges from a hunting rifle were found fifteen meters from the house where the Majgaljis were killed, and the tracking dogs pointed to the direction in which the killer fled from the scene of the crime.
The same night, the search for Balijagić began, and a day later, the army joined the police who were trying to find the fugitive.
Montenegrin policemen and soldiers are looking for Balijagić through the forests, along the roads, in abandoned houses, they also check who is passing by in cars, checkpoints have been made through the Vraneška valley. In addition to the villages and towns above Bijelo Polje, police and military special forces searched for Balijagić in the hills above Mojkovac, Kolašin, Pljevlje and Beran...
They have at their disposal the most modern technology, thermal imaging cameras, drones, police and military helicopters, search dogs...
Colleagues from the Croatian police, with sniffer dogs, also help them.
On the other side of the border, members of the Serbian security services are doing the same, and have been searching for Balijagić since November 2.
On the territory of Serbia, members of the Criminal Police Directorate, Special Anti-Terrorist Unit, Gendarmerie, border police and police officers from the police departments in Prijepolje and Užice are searching for the fugitive robber, rapist and suspect for double murder.
Several schools in the area have been closed due to the search for Balijagić, and classes are being held online.
Bonus video:
