Čađenović released to defend himself from custody: Obliged to periodically report to the Police Directorate

Suspended special prosecutor Saša Čađenović has been released to defend himself from freedom, the investigating judge of the Higher Court in Podgorica decided.

"The defendant Saša Čađenović, due to the existence of reasonable suspicion of the continued criminal offense of abuse of official position under Article 416 of the Criminal Code of Montenegro, has been ordered to be placed under supervision - an obligation to periodically report to a certain state body - the Police Directorate, once a month," it was said. Portal Pobjeda from the High Court.

They add that an appeal is allowed against this decision.

Earlier today, after a hearing at the SDT, Čađenović was ordered to be detained for up to 72 hours. According to the SDT, he is charged with failing to perform his official duties as a special prosecutor at the SDT 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, which, they said, has resulted in the statute of limitations.

"Special Prosecutor S. Č. was questioned today at the Special State Prosecutor's Office as a suspect for the ongoing criminal offense of abuse of official position. The suspect is charged with failing to perform his official duties as a special prosecutor in the Special State Prosecutor's Office 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 said.

The suspect, they add, presented his defense during the hearing in the presence of selected defense attorneys, did not admit to the crime he is suspected of, and did not answer the special prosecutor's questions.

"After questioning, 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 proposed that he be detained, due to the existence of circumstances that clearly indicate a risk of escape," the SDT said.

Lawyer Lazar Aković said earlier today that Čađenović was questioned by prosecutor Vukas Radonjić due to reasonable suspicion that he committed the criminal offense of abuse of official position for an extended period of time.

"This is a case from 2016 that is not well known to the public. Some individuals are suspected of illegally crossing the state border, and according to the SDT, they believe that the statute of limitations has expired in the 2016 proceedings because Čađenović acted passively," Aković pointed out, adding that these individuals were not designated as members of any clan.

The lawyer said that Čađenović categorically denied committing the crime.

He announced that Čađenović's defense attorneys would file an appeal.

"The two of us defense attorneys will file an appeal because we truly believe that this basis for detention does not exist, especially due to the fact that in the other current case, Čađenović was held for a year and eight months in the Remand Prison, in Spuž in custody, and after that, under house arrest. There are no further reasons for his detention, and here we see today that in one case, of lesser criminal responsibility, detention has been ordered," says Aković.