Đukanović returned from Mostar within 48 hours: The brother of the former president and prime minister has returned to the country

Accused businessman Aco Djukanovic returned to Montenegro after a 48-hour stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was confirmed to "Vijesti" from the Basic Court in Nikšić.

As they said, on June 4th, he approached that institution and the investigating judge on his own initiative. Savva Mušikić informed that he would be in Mostar the next day, that he would leave Montenegro via a land border crossing, that he would be traveling alone and that he would return within 48 hours.

"The investigating judge immediately informed the Chief of the Nikšić Police Department and the acting state prosecutor in Nikšić about the above," the response signed by the president of the Nikšić court states. Sanja Nikić.

The Police Directorate (UP) announced on June 5 that permission for Djukanovic to temporarily travel to another country had been issued by a judge at the Niksic court.

The court told "Vijesti" that Đukanović returned to Montenegro on June 6th.

The institution states that his presence and participation in the criminal proceedings, as well as measures to eliminate fears that the proceedings could be obstructed, are secured by bail in the amount of more than five million euros, the seizure of his travel document and the obligation to report to the Podgorica Police Department every Monday.

"These measures are being implemented in all respects," the court announced.

"Vijesti" asked the court how often it happens that defendants who have previously had their passports temporarily confiscated and certain surveillance measures imposed are granted temporary leave to another country while the proceedings are ongoing.

However, the court did not respond to questions about how frequent such decisions are in the practice of the Basic Court in Nikšić.

Responding to questions about the stage of the proceedings against the businessman, brother of the former president of the country Milo Đukanović, from the Nikšić Basic Court, said that the case is still with the Basic State Prosecutor's Office (ODT) in Nikšić.

"Currently, the proceedings against this person are in the Nikšić ODT phase due to the return of the indictment to supplement the investigation," the response states.

They added that the prosecution has not yet submitted an amended indictment, which is why a new hearing to review the indictment has not been scheduled.

When asked when they expect the indictment review phase to be completed and whether it can be estimated when the proceedings could move to the main trial phase, the court responded that they could not comment on that.

From arrest to completion of investigation

Djukanovic was arrested on February 28, after a search of his family home in the Nikšić neighborhood of Rastoci.

"Vijesti" then announced that he was handcuffed after the police found weapons, police equipment and body armor, and the Police Directorate later announced that, on the orders of the competent prosecutor's offices and courts, the facilities and premises he uses in Podgorica and Nikšić were searched.

The Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Nikšić announced after the arrest that Đukanović is suspected of having illegally kept weapons and ammunition in his house in Nikšić, for which he has been charged with the criminal offense of illegal possession and carrying of weapons and explosives.

After the hearing, he was ordered to be detained, and the prosecution proposed detention due to the risk of flight. The court accepted this proposal, and Đukanović was taken to the Spuž Remand Prison.

At the end of March, the bail he offered for his defense while at liberty was accepted. According to an earlier court statement, the bail consisted of one million euros in cash and real estate valued at just over four million euros.

The court's decision also imposed supervision measures on him - a ban on leaving the apartment with electronic monitoring, temporary seizure of his travel document and an obligation to regularly report to the police. The court explained at the time that there was a risk of flight, given his connections and stays abroad and significant assets, but that the bail and supervision measures were sufficient to ensure his presence in the proceedings.

The indictment review was originally postponed to April 7th because some of the defense attorneys did not receive a summons for the hearing in time, and a new one was scheduled for April 20th.

At the end of April, however, the indictment of the ODT in Nikšić was returned for supplementation. By a ruling of judge Mirko Kojović, the prosecution was ordered to conduct additional evidentiary actions in order to complete the investigation.

The court, among other things, requested additional ballistics expertise at the Forensic Center in Danilovgrad, in order to determine whether the ammunition included in the indictment matches the weapon Đukanović is charged with, but also the weapon for which he holds a license.

The prosecution was also ordered to obtain additional information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the registration of individual weapons, as well as to check records relating to weapons registered to persons connected to the case, including his father. Radovan Djukanovic and brother Milo.

The court also requested additional information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) and the National Security Agency (ANB) about the type of ammunition used by their officers at certain times, in order to clarify the origin of some of the ammunition found during the search.

The Nikšić ODT was then given a two-month deadline to complete the investigation, with the possibility of an extension at the prosecutor's request.

In May, Đukanović's ban on leaving his apartment was lifted, but the measures of temporarily confiscating his travel document and the obligation to regularly report to the police remained in force.

What did Đukanović say at the indictment review?

During the review of the indictment at the Basic Court in Nikšić in late April, Aco Đukanović claimed that the indictment was illegal and that he expected it to be dismissed.

He said that the only truth in the indictment was that he had no criminal record, while he claimed that the other allegations were false and based on illegal evidence. He also claimed that the moment of his arrest had been determined in advance and that he was under surveillance.

A day later, at the continuation of the indictment review, he announced that he would again sue the state over the proceedings against him.

"This will be the third time I have sued the state," said Đukanović, stating that he believes that the case will one day be mentioned like the "Limenka" affair.

His defense argued that the indictment was based on illegal evidence and requested that it be dismissed, while the prosecution maintained its position that the indictment was well-founded.

The court's decision imposed surveillance measures on Đukanović - a ban on leaving the apartment with electronic surveillance, temporary seizure of his travel document and an obligation to regularly report to the police. The court then explained that there was a risk of flight, given his connections and stays abroad and significant financial resources.