Trial of defendants in Kruščić's murder and in monitoring and planning the attack on Lakić postponed, to continue on September 16

The trial of those accused of the murder of Miodrag Kruščić and of monitoring and planning the attack on former ND "Vijesti" journalist Olivera Lakić was postponed today at the Higher Court in Podgorica.

The next trial was scheduled by the president of the special chamber, Judge Radovan Vlaović, for September 16th and 17th.

At the beginning of the main trial hearing, the judge stated that the defense attorney for defendant Aleksandar Ljumović, attorney Nikola Ivanović, had filed a motion yesterday to postpone the trial. In the motion, the defense attorney stated that he needed time to familiarize himself with the case files in order to prepare his defense.

Judge Vlaović said that the defendant Ljumović was extradited to Montenegro on July 11 and was ordered to be detained. The indictment was served on the defendant on July XNUMX. According to the Criminal Procedure Code, the summons must be served on the defendant in such a way that there is sufficient time between the delivery of the summons and the date of the main hearing to prepare the defense, and at least eight days.

The indictment includes Milan Vujotic, former police officer Darko 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, 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, on May 8, 2018, the aggravated murder of the injured party Miodrag Kruščić, on May 21, 2018, and the smuggling of 554 kg of the narcotic drug marijuana from Albania to Montenegro, on January 26, 2021," it was stated earlier in a statement by the special prosecutor and spokesperson for the Special State Prosecutor's Office, Vukas Radonjić.