The trial of the defendants who planned to kill Marko Ljubiša, known as Kan, in January 2021, continued today at the Higher Court in Podgorica, before a special panel presided over by Judge Nada Rabrenović, with the hearing of witnesses.
An indictment was filed against Radoje P. Zvicer from Kotor and Nikola V. Vušović, known as Džoni from Vračar, from Belgrade, for the criminal offense of creating a criminal organization, and members of the criminal organization Mario M. Milošević from Podgorica, Radovan L. Mujović from Nikšić, Ivan Z. Biletić from Berane, Aleksandar B. Ćetković, permanently residing in Budva, Davor S. Kordić with a temporary residence in Budva, Damir S. Mandić from Podgorica and Branko R. Simić from Užice, who is on the run.
The indictment alleges that in the second half of 2020, Zvicer and Vušović organized a criminal organization that planned to kill Ljubiša Marko, known as Kan, in January 2021.
Biletić was tasked with ensuring that the accused Strahinja Savić and Lazar Ilić, members of the criminal organization, entered the territory of Montenegro from Serbia outside the border crossings, avoiding border control and placing them in safe locations, in order to carry out their tasks in the territory of Budva, which were assigned to them by the organizers of the criminal organization.
Witness police officer Vule Kovinić stated that on January 22, 2021, he and his fellow police officers noticed a verbal conflict between Strahinja Savić and Goran Slovinić, who is considered a person of operational interest and whose safety was threatened on several occasions.
He stated that after Savić was taken into custody, the police noticed his agitation and refusal to unlock one of the two phones for the safety of his family. The witness assessed that this was a sign that there was a possibility that some kind of attack was being planned on Slovinić and Kan.
Kovinić said that Savić voluntarily handed over the codes for the encrypted application "Sky", which led the police to the shack apartments and other members of the group. He added that in one of the apartments, the police arrested Lazar Ilić, who was falsely identified and on whom a phone with the encrypted application was also found.
Witness Veljko Radulović said that he rented an apartment in Budva to the accused Strahinja Savić. He said in court today that he does not remember most of the details, and stuck to the statement he gave during the prosecutor's investigation.
He explained that he had rented the apartment to a person who introduced himself as Petar, that the agreement lasted only a few minutes, and that after that meeting he had never seen him again. Only later did he learn that the tenant of the apartment had been arrested.
Judge Nada Rabrenović ordered the forced bringing of Marko Ljubiša, known as Kan, to the next hearing scheduled for January 16. According to the indictment, he has the status of an injured party witness in these court proceedings. The SDT previously indicted Lazar Ilić, Strahinja Savić, Grgo Milićević, Miloš Kleček and Nikola Mileković for planning the murder of Kan. They were sentenced to a total of 20 years in prison by the Higher Court. The case is in the Court of Appeals following the defense's appeal.
As there is no confirmation in the case files that Ljubiša was duly served with a court summons, nor an explanation for the absence of this witness, the court decided to issue a forcible arrest order.
Lawyer Marko Radović requested that Ljubiša Kan's status as a victim witness be revoked, citing previous court practice in cases where this was decided when defendants were charged with the criminal offense under Article 401a, paragraph 1 – creation of a criminal organization.
He stated that this criminal offense falls into the group of offenses against public order and peace, which is why, according to the law, someone who has not been personally or property injured cannot be considered an injured party. The defense attorney recalled that Marko Ljubiša Kan had this status in the previous proceedings against the first part of this criminal group, where there was also the criminal offense of attempted murder, so such a status was justified. Attorney Radović believes that this basis does not exist now. He added that maintaining the status of injured party would allow him to join the criminal prosecution and make the position of the accused in this case more difficult, and that he would have the right to appeal in the event of an acquittal.
Special Prosecutor Nataša Bošković opposed the proposal. She particularly emphasized that the indictment clearly describes that the criminal organization was formed specifically for the purpose of Khan's murder, and that it is logical that it has the status of a victim in these proceedings.
The court will decide on the defense's motion at the next hearing in mid-January.
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