"I believe that the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) planned for me to be their cooperating witness, to "set up" and spy, because I was a security guard for the President of the Supreme Court, Vesna Medenica," said defendant Darko Lalović today at the Higher Court in Podgorica, where the trial for monitoring and planning the attack on former ND "Vijesti" journalist Olivera Lakić, as well as for the murder of Miodrag Kruščić, continued.
"The prosecutor asked me to say something about the son of the then President of the Supreme Court, Vesna Medenica. They expected me to set Vesna up for them. I would spy and lie. Those are their peasant jobs. Do I have to spy and lie to keep my job? No. There are other jobs. I can earn money from shoveling, not spying," Lalović stated in his defense before the special council of judge Radovan Vlaović.
He denied having committed any crime or being a member of any criminal organization.
"A box of bullets was found in the house, which belonged to my grandfather Rajko and who has a firearms license. Although I had information from a prosecutor that I would be arrested, I did not remove the box of bullets. The prosecutor tells me that my DNA was found on the box of bullets, but I was not brought and shown a document stating that. So it has to be my DNA, it cannot be from a neighbor. When I was arrested, I was suspected of following journalist Lakić. When I was questioned at the prosecutor's office, the prosecutor told me that I had nothing to do with the case of the attack and following of Lakić. And a month ago, all the newspapers wrote that I was putting on a show. I was interrogated seven times by a special police team. They asked me about drugs, about cigarettes. The indictment says that I influenced the making of court decisions. I am not the Minister of Justice to influence the court system. I did not use a phone with the Sky application," Lalović said.
He said he did not know why he was even in the group of those accused of murdering Kruščić and wounding Lakić.
"I have nothing to do with it. If the prosecutor has even one piece of evidence against me for drugs and cigarettes, let him put it on the table, I will admit everything, we don't have to go to court," Lalović added.
Defendant Branislav Karadzic said that he does not admit to the allegations in the indictment and that he is not a member of a criminal organization.
Defendant Luka Bulatović stated that he did not accept the allegations in the SDT indictment. He said that he rented the apartment on Aerodromska Street in Podgorica to Filip Beđović, and that he had nothing to do with the weapons found in the apartment.
"It is not true that on May 8, 2018, I was driving a car when Olivera Lakić was attacked."
The indictment includes Milan Vujotic, former police officer Lalovic, Filip Knezevic, Mario Milosevic, Goran Rakocevic, Veselin Bubanja, Filip Besovic, Luka Bulatovic, Dejan Vukasinovic, Branislav Karadzic, Goran Vukcevic, Mijajlo Stojanovic, Aleksandar Ljumovic and Sanja Bozovic. 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.
Bubanja: I was treated in a psychiatric hospital
"For several years now, the SDT, led by Milivoj Katnić, Saša Čađenović, Veljović and Baković, have been arresting me as if I were a person of interest for security reasons. I was arrested as part of the investigation into the murder of Miodrag Kruščić. I would like to point out that I have no criminal record. At the time of the attack on Olivera Lakić and the murder, I was undergoing psychiatric treatment. I could not be in two different places at the same time. And my lifestyle shows that I am not a criminal. I do not wear a Rolex watch, I do not drive expensive cars. I think the prosecution has such examples in its building. Where is Katnić today? In a hole," said Bubanja.
Bešović: I am asking the US and EU Embassies to get involved
Defendant Filip Bešović, accused of injuring journalist Olivera Lakić in May 2018, requested today that the embassies of the United States and the European Union be included in this court proceeding, otherwise he will not have a fair trial.
"This criminal offense was framed for me. I do not admit guilt. I know that criminal offenses are framed in Montenegro, but they could have already framed me for some "male criminal offense," said the defendant Bešović and continued.
"Not to follow a woman around Podgorica. This is the worst crime they could have framed me for. First, they accused me of being the organizer of a criminal group that was charged with wounding Olivera Lakić and murdering Miodrag Kruščić. Then they accused me of driving, following, and inciting the murder of this journalist. I only have two arms. Theoretically, I could not have committed all these crimes that I am accused of," Bešović pointed out.
He added that he was certain that cooperating witness Bajram Pista would be called to the prosecution before the hearing to be reminded of what he should say.
Before the trial began, Rakočević said that he was not requesting a postponement of the trial, even though Bešović came to the trial sick.
"I really can't wait for the cooperating witness Bajram Pista to be heard. I know the torture Marinko Rajković endured, and he was indicted. I don't blame him for now becoming a cooperating witness," said Rakočević.
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