UPDATE: In a critical development today, former police officer Nikola Janičić testified at the Higher Court in Podgorica, asserting that no one ever requested him to exclude anyone from criminal charges. This testimony comes during a high-stakes trial involving former Special Prosecutor Milivoje Katnić and other senior law enforcement officials.
Janičić, who previously served in the organized crime unit, spent over three hours answering questions from the defense and the accused. He categorically denied that Zoran Lazović, a former high-ranking police official, ever asked him to prevent prosecution of any individual, specifically mentioning Duško Roganović, a suspected member of a notorious criminal group.
Today’s testimony is crucial as it directly challenges allegations against Lazović and Katnić, who are accused of abusing their positions to protect individuals linked to organized crime. Janičić stressed, “Neither Lazović, nor Katnić and Čađenović ever sought any privileges for members of criminal organizations.”
The accusations against Lazović include forming a criminal organization whose members allegedly include the retired prosecutor Katnić and suspended prosecutor Saša Čađenović. Čađenović faces serious allegations of working for the Kavać clan, a well-known crime group in the region.
During his testimony, Janičić stated, “I am not aware that Zoran Lazović had any connections with criminal groups, nor could we establish that from the secret monitoring measures.” He recounted a significant incident from June 2019 when a murder occurred in Herceg Novi, detailing how resources were mobilized at Lazović’s request, despite initial resistance from the acting prosecutor.
Additionally, Janičić addressed the arrival of Serbian nationals Veljko Belivuk and Marko Miljković in Montenegro in January 2021, revealing that authorities had received information about a planned assassination targeting them upon arrival. “Certain individuals were arrested due to this intelligence,” he confirmed, emphasizing the seriousness of organized crime dynamics in the region.
In a shocking admission, Janičić also discussed the murder of Nikola Stanišić, initially reported as a missing person, later confirmed dead through evidence obtained from the encrypted Sky application. He highlighted the struggle to identify suspects and the eventual tactics used to apprehend them.
The trial also includes testimonies from other key witnesses, including prosecutors Sanja Jovićević and Mira Samardžić, which have now been postponed to a later date due to the length of Janičić’s testimony.
As the courtroom drama unfolds, the implications of this case are profound, shedding light on the deep-seated issues of corruption within Montenegro’s law enforcement. The next court session is scheduled for December 22, 2023, when further testimonies are expected to bring additional clarity to these grave accusations.
Stay tuned for more updates as this case progresses, impacting the future of Montenegro’s battle against organized crime and corruption.
