The trial of the defendants for the murder of Miodrag Kruščić and the wounding of Olivera Lakić began today at the Higher Court in Podgorica with the reading of the indictment.
The Special Panel is chaired by Judge Radovan Vlaović.
The judge today rejected the proposal of lawyer Nikola Ivanović, defense attorney for defendant Aleksandar Ljumović, who requested that the main hearing be postponed to await his extradition, since he is in extradition detention in Bulgaria.
"The court has no information that his extradition proceedings have been initiated. We have a decision to try him in absentia," said Judge Vlaović.
After a two-hour reading of the indictment, the main trial hearing was postponed to June 12, when the defendants were scheduled to present their defense.
Defendant Goran Vukčević said he was canceling the power of attorney for his defense attorney, attorney Stefan Jokić.
"Let me tell you now, so that the next hearing is not postponed because of me. I am revoking Jokic's power of attorney and requesting that you assign me a defense attorney," said Vukcevic.
Milan Vujotić, former policeman Darko Lalović, Filip Knežević, Mario Milošević, Goran Rakočević, Veselin Bubanja, Filip Bešović, Luka Bulatović, Dejan Vukašinović, Branislav Karadžić, Goran Vukčević, Mijajlo Stojanović, Aleksandar Ljumović and Sanja Božović are included in the indictment.
They are also charged with smuggling 554 kilograms of marijuana from Albania to Montenegro on January 26, 2021.
"The Council of the High Court in Podgorica, by decision Kvso no. 39/23, confirmed the indictment, Kt-S no. 265/20, dated June 20 this year, which the Special State Prosecutor's Office filed against 14 accused persons, namely: MV, GR, FB, FK, SB, VB, LB, DV, DL, BK, MM, MS, A.Lj. and GV, for the criminal offenses of creating a criminal organization, serious bodily injury, aggravated murder, murder by incitement, illegal possession of weapons and explosives and unauthorized production, possession and distribution of narcotic drugs. The subject of the indictment is, among other things, the attack on the journalist of "Vijesti", the injured party Olivera Lakić, dated May 8, 2018, the aggravated murder of the injured party Miodrag Kruščić, dated May 21, 2018, and the smuggling of 554 kg of the narcotic drug marijuana from Albania to Montenegro. Gora, January 26, 2021," it was stated earlier in a statement by special prosecutor and spokesperson for the Special State Prosecutor's Office, Vukas Radonjić.
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