The trial of the defendants for planning and preparing the murders of Jovan Vukotić and Jovan Jovanović continued today at the Higher Court in Podgorica, with the presentation of the defendants' defense.
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.
The accused police officer Goran Stojanović gave a detailed defense before the court.
He said he understood the allegations of the prosecution, and that he did not admit to committing the crimes.
"I am not a member of any criminal organization. I have never used a phone with the Sky application. I saw the accused for the first time in prison and I do not know them. At the hearing for confirming the indictment, the special prosecutor requested that, for the sake of cost-effectiveness of the proceedings, this proceeding be merged with my indictment. And after that, everything took on a different connotation. I did my job professionally. There is not a single piece of evidence against me through the application of secret surveillance measures (MTN). Unclear evidence was presented that I have nothing to do with. The evidence for this is the decision of the Higher Court in Podgorica, by investigative judge Bašović, that the material in question obtained from France was contaminated," Stojanović pointed out.
He added that in the explanation of the decision, the judge stated that one of the judicial authorities in France stated that the material could only be used as information and not in court proceedings.
"Both the court and the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) have in their possession the Sky Ecc material, which is neither a copy nor a copy of a copy, but an interpretation of an Excel spreadsheet, which this court took a position on in the 'Apartments' case. I have justified doubts about the Sky material, which has never been made available to my defense attorney. I believe that my rights have been violated by the current proceedings by the SDT and the High Court. I also reject the allegations against me for the continued criminal offense of abuse of official position," said Stojanović.
He also said that "the criminal act of creating a criminal organization does not contain it, the indictment does not state the time when it was formed."
"It is not known when I became a member, because it is stated that it was 2020, which is a broad term. It is not known when the act was completed, nor the goal for which the criminal organization was formed. There is no evidence that I accepted a role in the criminal organization," said the accused Stojanović.
Defendant Dejan Rutović pleaded not guilty.
"I am not a member of a criminal organization. I have never used the Sky app. Due to my time in detention, I have lost contact with my family, my wife and two sons, who no longer recognize me. I left behind a mother and a brother who are in poor health, whom I cannot take care of now. I lost my job because I used to run a restaurant, which was how I supported my family. I do not know the defendants," he said.
Defendant Srđan Jurišević also denied the allegations in the indictment.
"I have never been a member of a criminal organization in my life. I cannot understand what this is about. I claim responsibly, I have neither attempted nor committed a criminal offense. I do not understand why I am in this story. I do not know what Sky Communication is and I have not used a phone with that application. Of the accused, I know Slobodan Kašćelan, with whom I am on good and friendly terms. If he did something, I am ready to answer for him," said Jurišević.
Defendant Slobodan Kašćelan gave his defense in court. He said he had nothing to defend himself against.
"I understood the indictment. I am not guilty. I do not admit to committing the crimes. I am lying innocent in prison," defendant Kašćelan stated at the previous trial on April 10th before a special panel presided over by judge Amir Đokaj.
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 SDT 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 with the code 7220C5 on the SKY Ecc application, and whom the organizers and other members of the criminal organization address as "Soldier" or "Ragnar", is 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 empty 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," the prosecutor's investigation states.
"The SDT adds that he is accused of, together with another member of the criminal organization, the accused Filip Knežević, practicing the operation of 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.
Radović: No consent for criminal prosecution of Igor Božović; Turković: Clear and unambiguous consent has been obtained
The defense attorney for defendant Igor Božović, attorney Marko Radović, said today that the Special State Prosecutor's Office prosecuted defendant Igor Božović without Portugal's consent and collected evidence against him while the ban on criminal prosecution was in effect. Božović was extradited to Montenegro on July 19, 2021.
However, special prosecutor Miroslav Turković denied this.
Lawyer Radović requested the suspension of the proceedings against Igor Božović due to circumstances that temporarily prevent criminal prosecution, namely the lack of consent from the competent authorities of Portugal.
The defendant Igor Božović refused to present his defense in the aforementioned proceedings and invoked the principle of specialty. He said that he did not admit to committing the criminal offense, nor to guilt. He added that there had been a serious procedural error in his case and that everything had been framed against him since the first indictment by Special State Prosecutor Saša Čađenović and former Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoje Katnić.
"I could not be prosecuted for this, so I invoked the Principle of Specialties," said Božović.
Lawyer Marko Radović recalled that at the hearing for the review of one of the indictments, he pointed out that there was an omission in that there was no adequate consent from Portugal for Božović to be criminally prosecuted by the SDT.
"I propose that in relation to Igor Božović, in accordance with the CPC, the court suspend the proceedings due to circumstances that temporarily prevent criminal prosecution, namely the lack of consent from the competent Portuguese authorities for the criminal prosecution of Božović," Radović pointed out.
Special Prosecutor Miroslav Turković said that the allegations made by Igor Božović's defense are not true.
"The allegations that in this specific case there is no consent for the criminal prosecution of Igor Božović by Portugal are not true. On the contrary. Clear and unambiguous consent was obtained," Turković emphasized, adding that the indictment detailed the circumstances surrounding the aforementioned situation and obtaining the aforementioned consent, and that both the court and the defense have insight into it.
The court will decide on the defense's motion at one of the next hearings.
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