Budimir Krstović and his daughter Marina Krstović, in repeated court proceedings, were acquitted of the charge of smuggling 1.206 kilograms of cocaine.
"The Appellate Court of Montenegro, after the public session of the council on April 11.04.2024, 1, issued the verdict Kž. no. 24/128, which rejected as unfounded the appeal of the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica and confirmed the verdict of the Higher Court in Podgorica K. no. 23/ 21.07.2023 of July 300. By the first-instance verdict of the High Court in Podgorica, the accused Budimir Krstović was acquitted of the criminal offense of illegal production, possession and distribution of narcotic drugs in connection with Article 1 23 of the Criminal Code of Montenegro, because it was not proven that they had committed the crime for which they were accused. of the procedure that this court looks after ex officio, nor the one referred to in the appeal of the VDT, as well as that the first-instance court in a valid manner and in a legally conducted procedure, determined all the facts necessary for making a correct and legal decision," it is stated in the decision of the Court of Appeal.
The first-instance verdict was pronounced in July 2023 by judge Vesna Kovačević at the High Court in Podgorica.
The judge then stuck to the earlier explanation of the acquittal pronounced at the end of November 2022, stating then that the prosecution did not provide any evidence that the defendants acquired cocaine from an unknown person, as stated in the indictment.
Not hiding his indignation as to why he was arrested for smuggling cocaine without any reason, Budimir Krstović told reporters at the time that the state has the possibility to investigate who ordered this shipment. When asked specifically by a journalist whether he suspects anyone, he answered:
"The former director of ANB, Dejan Vukšić, provided the prosecution with evidence in that case, but the prosecution did not agree to activate that information. Why don't they bring them out. I never defended Milan Knežević in my life, and why did he defend me. Because he was a director in the parliamentary Security Committee. He knows everything. And when was that cocaine created and where did that car go... The drugs were not thrown out of my warehouse in packages at all, there are witnesses. I can't bid on names, whether it's "Petar", "Dragan" or this one. If we have 5.000 police officers, 5.500 of them will say that the Krstovićs have nothing to do with drugs. The service in both Serbia and Montenegro knows whose drugs it is and who paid for the goods. I have no evidence that it belongs to anyone. I can't bid on names. I have three children, I can't put them at risk. This really needs to be announced," said Budimir Krstović.
His daughter Marina Krstović said that she expected an acquittal.
"We were hoping for the same decision of the High Court. As I said, judge Vesna Kovačević explained the verdict in detail and thoroughly, just like the first time. The dispute was a technical matter. So I sincerely hope that the prosecution will not submit the appeal to the Court of Appeal. Although knowing the kind of terror that has been perpetrated on us for two years, he will probably complain again, I don't know on what basis. Instead of investing this time and effort into the investigation to find out who the real people ordering the drugs were, they decided to persecute me and my father. Because it suited them that way or someone ordered them to do it," said Marina Krstović after the acquittal.
Jovanović: The acquittal is a kind of warning to political actors
Lawyer Stefan Jovanović, who along with fellow lawyers Bojana Franović and lawyer Dragoljub Đukanović, defended the accused Budimir and Marina Krstović, commented for "Vijesti" the decision of the Appellate Court which confirmed the acquittal of the High Court.
"This verdict is proof that there are judges of integrity in the Montenegrin judicial system who do their work honorably and honestly. Also, this verdict is a kind of warning to political actors and a message not to interfere in work that is not theirs. They should refrain from commenting of something that does not fall under their jurisdiction. Instead of preserving the rule of law, we are collapsing it. This judgment is that law and politics simply do not go hand in hand." said lawyer Jovanović.
He reminded that the father and daughter spent 16 months in custody innocently.
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