Čađenović detained for up to 72 hours, suspected of abuse of official position

Suspended special prosecutor Saša Čađenović has been ordered to be detained for up to 72 hours after being questioned at the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT).

He is suspected of abuse of office.

"The suspect is charged with failing to perform his official duties as a special prosecutor in the Special State Prosecutor's Office in the period from 2016 to 2021 in the criminal proceedings he initiated against five defendants for the criminal offense of illegal crossing of the state border and human smuggling, and due to the fact that he did not take procedural actions in the proceedings, the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution has expired, which is why the criminal proceedings against the defendants for the aforementioned criminal offense cannot be continued by law," the SDT announced.

It is added that Čađenović presented his defense during the hearing, in the presence of selected defense attorneys, did not admit to the criminal offense he is suspected of, and did not answer the special prosecutor's questions.

"After the hearing, he was ordered to be detained for 72 hours from the time of his arrest, and the investigating judge of the Higher Court in Podgorica was recommended to order his detention, due to the existence of circumstances that clearly indicate a risk of escape," it was announced.

According to unofficial information from Vijesti, Čađenović was arrested yesterday in the City Quarter in Podgorica.

The Higher Court in Podgorica lifted Čađenović's house arrest at the end of October last year, Ivana Vukmirović, the independent public relations advisor for the Higher Court, confirmed to Television Vijesti at the time.

As announced at the time, the only measure that remains in effect is the confiscation of passports.

The SDT suspects Čađenović of being a member of a criminal organization that, according to the indictment, was formed by former high-ranking police official Zoran Lazović.

In addition to them, the indictment also includes former Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoje Katnić.