Former Director of the Police Administration Slavko Stojanović was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison in a repeated trial before the High Court for cigarette smuggling and illegal possession of weapons.
On November 17, the Court of Appeal overturned the verdict of the Higher Court in Podgorica, accepting the appeal of defense attorney Stojanović, and the case was then returned to the first-instance court for a retrial.
"In the appeals decision process, the Court of Appeal determined that the first-instance verdict was affected by significant violations of the provisions of criminal procedure, which are described in detail in the reasoning of the decision, the consequence of which is the annulment of the first-instance verdict and the return of the case to the first-instance court for a retrial. The first-instance court was instructed that it is necessary to eliminate the significant violations of the provisions of criminal procedure in the retrial, present all previously presented evidence and others it finds necessary, and after doing so, through a comprehensive analysis and proper assessment of all presented evidence, both individually and in their mutual connection, establish all decisive facts, and provide clear reasons for them, all with the aim of making a lawful and proper decision," the Court of Appeal announced at the time.
The initial first-instance verdict was pronounced on March 28 by Judge Igor Đuričković of the Higher Court in Podgorica.
He said that Stojanović admitted that, at the invitation of his friend, he told Enes Baković to release a truck with about 120 packs of cigarettes, but that he did not say who the friend who asked him was.
During the court proceedings, Stojanović pleaded guilty to the criminal offense of abuse of office, in connection with the smuggling of cigarettes found in the truck. He said at the time that he was remorseful.
Defendant Stojanović pleaded not guilty to illegal possession of a gun.
Stojanović was charged with criminal offenses of abuse of official position and illegal possession of weapons and explosive materials. It is suspected that he damaged the state coffers by 112.504 euros by abusing his official position.
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