The trial of the defendants for planning and preparing the murders of Jovan Vukotić and Jovan Jovanović began today at the Higher Court in Podgorica, with the defense presenting its case.
According to the indictment, the defendants are charged with attempted murder by incitement to the detriment of Jovan Vukotić in prison using drones, then in Kotor in front of the police station, as well as Jovan Jovanović in front of the building called the "Pentagon" in Kotor.
In addition, the defendants are charged with creating a criminal organization, selling drugs and illegally possessing weapons. The fourth indictment includes police officer Goran Stojanović for abuse of official position through incitement.
Defendant Slobodan Kašćelan gave his defense before the court.
"I understood the indictment. I am not guilty. I do not admit to committing the crimes. I am lying innocent in prison," Kašćelan stated before the special panel presided over by Judge Amir Đokaj.
The defendant added that he had nothing to defend himself against.
"I have nothing to defend myself against. I have never used the phone mentioned in the indictment," Kašćelan said.
The judge then read his defense before the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) on July 29, 2022.
"I have nothing to do with the commission of criminal acts. I have never used Skype applications in my life. Of the defendants, I only know Radoje Zvicer. We are from Kotor, it is a small town, we know each other. Sometimes we have a drink. I know Jovica Vukotić, and I have never had a conflict with him. I cannot believe that Vukotić paid someone to kill me," he stated.
The prosecutor showed him the photos that were sent via the Skype application, and Kašćelan confirmed that he was in them.
"Everything the court read was my statement. I don't know who took my picture. I'm not guilty. Cheers to me," Kašćelan said today.
His defense attorney, Marko Radović, objected to the court for asking Kašćelan questions, even though the defendant stated that he would not answer the questions.
Although he defended himself by remaining silent during the prosecutor's investigation, the defendant Goran Vukčević gave a detailed defense before the court today.
"I didn't do anything. I'm not guilty. I have to say that when they arrested me in Kotor and took me to the police station, they beat me for two or three hours, on the orders of special prosecutor Saša Čađenović. Later, they handed me over to people in balaclavas who took me to the forest and beat me mercilessly until six in the morning. They suffocated me with a bag on my head, which I believe was an attempt to murder me. Later, they beat me in a room next to 'Delta City'. Then they took me to a concrete mixer. I had six broken ribs. A medical expert said that I fell off my motorbike. As for the sky apps, the prosecution says that it believes the French. I didn't do anything. Any story is superfluous. I was tortured brutally. I was sentenced in 2015 to five years in prison. My lawyer Branko Anđelić told me that the judge told him that I had to beat this guy, because he was ordered to do so by the Supreme Court. He just "It says sky. We need to check those French people. In Marseille alone, there are 40-50 murders. I don't know anything about sky applications. That was imposed on us by France. Was that evidence recorded in real time? How did it come about? Who is the forensic expert? How did they get sky and how did they get to the server? Is there an expert to ask questions to? How was the sky application created, which cannot be used as evidence? I have done nothing illegal. The police are just beating people so that mom and dad's sons can work. We are just statistics. That's all I have to say," said Vukčević.
Defendant Igor Terzić said in his defense that he was not a member of a criminal organization.
He added that he has been in custody for 32 months. He added that he has already been sentenced for creating a criminal organization. He stated that the SDT offered him a plea agreement or to spend three and a half years in pretrial detention.
"I admitted to something I didn't do. I signed for the minimum sentence. I have to serve two years in prison. I don't know the victims named in the indictment, we've never had any contact. This is a script for Hollywood. All that's missing is Chuck Norris," Terzić said.
Defendant Radovan Mujović pleaded not guilty. He added that he would not present a defense or answer questions.
The defendant, Vladan Lučić, pleaded not guilty. He stated that he was employed by the Administration for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions (UIKS), and that he performed his job professionally.
"I performed my job professionally. I suffered inconveniences. Because of my work, I received threats, both to myself and my family. My vehicle was set on fire," the defendant stated.
The judge then read his defense that he gave in the SDT.
"I have been working at UIKS since 2014. My safety was threatened by the Škaljar and Kakavč clans. On February 16.2, 2020, my vehicle was set on fire in Pljevlja. The screws on my wheels were unscrewed. It is illogical to me that I was a member of a criminal organization that was supposed to kill Vukotić. I live off my salary. I received money from insurance for a leg injury and from a loan, and that's how I built a house. Savo Lipovina threatened to kill me after I took his phone away, and I reported it," Lučić said in the prosecutor's investigation.
The SDT has filed an indictment against Radoje Zvicer and Milan Vujotić as organizers, and members Slobodan Kašćelan, Dragan Knežević, Goran Vukčević, Igor Terzić, Danilo Bakić, Stevan Kraljević, Radovan Mujović, Vladan Lučić, Filip Knežević, Ratko Živković, Milutin Knežević, Miloš Jovanović, Milutin Čotar, Vladimir Vučković, Dejan Rutović and Srđan Jurišević, for planning the murder of Vukotić and Jovanović.
According to the SDT, during 2020 and 2021, on the territory of Montenegro and other European countries, Bešović, Pejović, Dragojević and Živković became members of a criminal organization organized by the accused Radoje Zvicer and Milan Vujotić, whose members, in addition to currently unidentified persons, also included the accused Slobodan Kašćelan, Dragan Knežević, Goran Vukčević, Igor Terzić, Danilo Bakić, Stevan Kraljević, Radovan Mujović, Vladan Lučić, Filip Knežević, Ratko Živković, Milutin Knežević, Miloš Jovanović, Milutin Čotar, Vladimir Vučković, Dejan Rutović and Srđan Jurišević, against whom the Special State Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment on 20 January 01, and Goran Stojanović, against whom the Special State Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment on 2023 July 28. The defendants Borko Bešović, Boris Pejović, Saša Dragojević and Ratko Živković, as members of the criminal organization, accepted the criminal plan. The defendant Bešović, who uses the account code 07C2023 on the SKY Ecc application, and whom the organizers and other members of the criminal organization address as "Soldier" or "Ragnar", to act according to the orders and instructions of the organizers of the criminal organization that were communicated to him directly or transmitted through other members of the criminal organization, to find secret apartments for the needs of the criminal organization, to take over, store, hand over and clean firearms and ammunition belonging to the criminal organization, which are intended for the commission of criminal offenses against life and limb, and to transport weapons and persons designated to be direct perpetrators to the place designated for training direct perpetrators in shooting with sniper rifles - is part of the indictment.
The SDT further claims that the defendant Boris Pejović, who uses the account code 5S7EKH on the SKY Ecc application, and whom the organizers and other members of the criminal organization call "Kobac", is acting on the orders and instructions of the organizers of the criminal organization.
The defendant Saša Dragojević, who uses the account code 23AB28 on the SKY Ecc application, was tasked with carrying out orders and instructions that were communicated to him directly by the organizers of the criminal organization or transmitted through other members of the criminal organization, to take over, store and hand over firearms, ammunition and explosives for the needs of the criminal organization, according to the prosecutor's investigation.
The SDT adds that he is accused of practicing, together with another member of the criminal organization, the accused Filip Knežević, how to operate drones on which explosive devices - bombs - would be placed.
"And that by using them, he directly participates in the deprivation of life of persons designated by the organizers of the criminal organization," the indictment states.
Bonus video:
