Indictments Announced; Defense to Be Presented at Upcoming Hearing
Kašćelan (archive), Photo: Boris Pejović
The trial for the individuals accused of plotting the murder of the late Jovan Vukotić, who was identified as the head of the Škalja clan by security service records, commenced today at the Higher Court in Podgorica. The court began by reading four indictments that have been consolidated into a single proceeding. Additionally, the defendants face charges related to the planned murder of Jovan Jovanović.
The special prosecutor presented four indictments at the behest of the accused Slobodan Kašćelan.
According to the indictment, the defendants are accused of attempting to murder Jovan Vukotić in prison via drones, as well as carrying out the same intent towards Jovan Jovanović outside the building known as the “Pentagon” in Kotor, and in front of a police station in Kotor. Furthermore, they are charged with forming a criminal organization, drug trafficking, and illegal possession of firearms.
The fourth indictment names Goran Stojanović, a police officer, for abuse of official capacity through incitement.
The defendants did not provide their defense during today’s proceedings but are expected to do so in the upcoming main hearing scheduled for April.
The Special State Prosecutor’s Office has filed charges against Radoje Zvicer and Milan Vujotić as the primary organizers, along with members Slobodan Kašćelan, Dragan Knežević, Goran Vukčević, Igor Terzić, Danilo Bakić, Stevan Kraljević, Radovan Mujović, Vladan Lučić, Filip Knežević, Ratko Živković, Milutin Knežević, Miloš Jovanović, Milutin Čotar, Vladimir Vučković, Dejan Rutović, and Srđan Jurišević, all for orchestrating the murders of Vuković and Jovanović.
The SDT reports that between 2020 and 2021, individuals Bešović, Pejović, Dragojević, and Živković joined a criminal organization led by the accused Radoje Zvicer and Milan Vujotić. This organization also includes the aforementioned defendants, along with currently unnamed individuals. Indictments were filed against these members on January 20 and July 28, 2023, respectively. The defendants Borko Bešović, Boris Pejović, Saša Dragojević, and Ratko Živković are said to have approved the criminal scheme. Bešović, identified by the code 07C2023 on the SKY Ecc application and referred to as “Soldier” or “Ragnar” by his accomplices, was tasked with following directions from the organizers of the criminal organization, such as locating safe houses, handling firearms and ammunition for the organization, and transporting weapons and designated individuals for training in sniper shooting.
The SDT further alleges that Boris Pejović, designated as “Kobac” and using the account code 5S7EKH on the SKY Ecc application, acted according to the directives from the organization’s leaders.
Saša Dragojević, who is identified by the account code 23AB28 on the SKY Ecc application, was assigned to execute orders related to the acquisition and management of firearms, ammunition, and explosives as needed by the criminal organization, as per the prosecutor’s findings.
Additionally, he is accused of practicing drone operation with explosives alongside another member of the criminal organization, Filip Knežević, thereby directly participating in plans to kill persons designated by the organization’s leaders, according to the indictment.
News