The trial of Jugoslav Raičević, a Police Administration employee facing charges of forming a criminal organization and abuse of official position, concluded today with the closing arguments from both the prosecutor and the defense.

The final verdict is set to be announced on July 3rd at the Higher Court in Podgorica.

Special Prosecutor Nataša Bošković stated that all presented evidence confirmed Raičević’s involvement in criminal activities. She highlighted intercepted communications that indicated he utilized a protected PIN account. The prosecutor urged the court to declare him guilty and impose an appropriate punishment.

In stark contrast, defense attorney Miloš Vuksanović called for his client’s acquittal, dismissing the charges as absurd. He remarked that the prosecutor’s approach appeared naive, suggesting that merely stating “he had encrypted communication” was insufficient to substantiate her claims.

Vuksanović quipped, “I was surprised to read in the Serbian indictment that Darko Šarić’s mother is connected to Vujanović, leading me to question why you have not been linked to this criminal organization,” addressing Judge Nenad Vujanović, the special chamber’s president.

He emphasized a lack of evidence tying Raičević to the alleged Pljevlja drug lord’s criminal group.

“Messages that Raičević supposedly sent to Milan Vučinić via the Sky app have no links to any criminal organization my client is said to belong to,” he argued, noting that Vučinić had been cleared of membership in Šarić’s group in Serbia.

During his closing remarks, Raičević highlighted his modest living conditions as a testament to his innocence, stating he resides in a small 60-square-meter apartment and has no acquaintance with the defendants from the Special Prosecutor’s Office’s indictment.

The indictment claims that in early 2020, Raičević became part of a criminal organization led by Darko Šarić, which operated in multiple countries including Montenegro and Serbia, alongside other accused individuals. The charges include conspiracy, aggravated murder, and various offenses concerning weapons.

According to the indictment, the organization aimed to use violence for its criminal endeavors. Raičević was allegedly responsible for gathering sensitive information regarding police actions, which he reportedly transmitted through the encrypted communication app “Sky Ecc” at the behest of a fellow organization member, Milan Vučinić.

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