Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PODGORICA250
2007-07-20 16:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Podgorica
Cable title:  

FURTHER DELAYS IN HIGH-PROFILE MURDER CASE

Tags:  PGOV KCRM CASC MW 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RAAUZYUW RUEHPOD0250 2011607-UUUU--RHMCSUU.
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R 201607Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY PODGORICA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PODGORICA 000250 

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SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

ROME ALSO FOR DEA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM CASC MW
SUBJECT: FURTHER DELAYS IN HIGH-PROFILE MURDER CASE

REF: A. A) PODGORICA 229


B. B) 05 BELGRADE 1750

PODGORICA 00000250 001.3 OF 002


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY



UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PODGORICA 000250

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

ROME ALSO FOR DEA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM CASC MW
SUBJECT: FURTHER DELAYS IN HIGH-PROFILE MURDER CASE

REF: A. A) PODGORICA 229


B. B) 05 BELGRADE 1750

PODGORICA 00000250 001.3 OF 002


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY




1. (U) SUMMARY: THE TRIAL OF THE ACCUSED IN THE 2005 MURDER OF
POLICE CHIEF INSPECTOR SLAVOLJUB SCEKIC HAS BEEN DELAYED UNTIL
FURTHER NOTICE. THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR FOR ORGANIZED CRIME
STOJANKA RADOVIC HAS STATED THAT SHE DISTRUSTS THE IMPARTIALITY
OF A MEMBER OF THE JUDICIAL PANEL. SHE CLAIMS THAT JUDGE CEDOMIR
JANJEVIC BOUGHT A HOUSE FROM THE MOTHER OF LJUBO VUJADINOVIC,
WHO IS ACCUSED IN THE MURDER. THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR THEREFORE
HAS FILED A REQUEST FOR THE REMOVAL OF JUDGE JANJEVIC, WHOM SHE
CLAIMS CANNOT BE IMPARTIAL. TEN PERSONS HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF
CRIMINAL ASSOCIATION AND MURDER OF SCEKIC. DURING THE
INVESTIGATION AND THE PREVIOUS LEGAL PROCEEDINGS ALL OF THE
ACCUSED HAVE DENIED ALL CHARGES. THE TRIAL HAS BEEN DELAYED SIX
TIMES SO FAR. IT IS NOT CERTAIN HOW LONG IT MIGHT TAKE TO
COMPLETE ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING LAW SUITS BEFORE THE
MONTENEGRIN JUDICIARY. END SUMMARY.





BACKGROUND

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2. (U) SLAVOLJUB SCEKIC, HEAD OF THE DIRECTORATE FOR GENERAL
CRIME OF THE MONTENEGRIN INTERIOR MINISTRY (MUP),WAS AMBUSHED
AND SHOT DEAD IN THE EVENING OF AUGUST 30, 2005, AROUND 1 A.M.
IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE IN PODGORICA. SASA BORETA, LJUBO BIGOVIC,
LJUBO VUJADINOVIC, ALAN KOZAR, MILAN SCEKIC, VUK VULEVIC,
RADOSAV VULEVIC, DUSICA VUKOVIC, GORAN ZIVKOVIC, AND DUSANKA
VUKOVIC ARE ACCUSED OF THE MURDER AND OF CRIMINAL ASSOCIATION.
MILAN SCEKIC (NO RELATION) IS ACCUSED OF MURDERING INSPECTOR
SCEKIC WHILE LJUBO VUJADINOVIC IS ACCUSED OF BEING AN ACCESSORY
TO THE MURDER. ACCORDING TO THE INDICTMENT, SCEKIC WAS MURDERED
FOR INVESTIGATING THE BOMBING ATTACKS ON THE HOTEL "SPLENDID" IN
BECICI, SUPPOSEDLY PERPETRATED BY THE CRIMINAL GROUP WITH THE
VIEW OF EXTORTING EUROS 2 MILLION. BESIDES THE SPLENDID CASE,
SCEKIC WAS ALSO INVESTIGATING SEVERAL HIGH PROFILE MURDERS. HE
WAS BELIEVED TO BE AN HONEST POLICEMAN.



TRIAL DELAYED SIX TIMES

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3. (U) THE TRIAL, WHICH IS PENDING AT THE PODGORICA HIGH COURT,
HAD BEEN DELAYED SIX TIMES SO FAR. IT HAS BEEN CHAIRED BY JUDGE

LAZAR AKOVIC. THE FIRST HEARING DELAY OCCURRED ON JANUARY 22,
2007, WHEN THE TRIAL WAS POSTPONED TO MARCH 19 DUE TO THE
SICKNESS OF ONE OF THE ACCUSED. THE MARCH 19 HEARING WAS ITSELF
CANCELLED OWING TO THE FAILURE OF THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS TO
APPEAR. THE TRIAL RESUMED ON MARCH 26, BUT WAS QUICKLY ADJOURNED
AFTER THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR FOR ORGANIZED CRIME, STOJANKA
RADOVIC, ASKED FOR JUDGE LAZAR AKOVIC TO BE REMOVED. (PRESIDENT
OF THE HIGH COURT IVICA STANKOVIC REFUSED HER REQUEST.) THE
TRIAL WAS DELAYED A FOURTH TIME (DATE NOT KNOWN) WHEN CHIEF
STATE PROSECUTOR VESNA MEDENICA REJECTED THE DEFENSE'S REQUEST
THAT THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR BE EXEMPTED FROM THE CASE. THE FIFTH
AND SIX TRIAL DELAYS (ON JUNE 22 AND JULY 4) WERE AGAIN DUE TO
THE FAILURE OF THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS TO APPEAR IN COURT.




4. (U) WHEN THE TRIAL CONTINUED ON MAY 24 ALL OF THE ACCUSED
(EXCEPT MILAN "CILA" SCEKIC WHO IS STILL AT LARGE) PLEADED NOT
GUILTY. ACCORDING TO THE INDICTMENT RAISED BY THE SPECIAL
PROSECUTOR FOR ORGANIZED CRIME, SASA BORETA, LJUBO BIGOVIC, ALAN
KOZAR, LJUBO VUJADINOVIC, MILAN CILA SCEKIC, VUK VULEVIC AND HIS
FATHER RADOSAV, DANICA VUKOVIC, GORAN ZIVKOVIC AND DUSANKA
VUJOVIC ARE CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL ASSOCIATION, FELONY MURDER,
AIDING AND ABETTING AFTER THE FACT, CONNIVANCE, FORGERY, MONEY
LAUNDERING, CAUSING OF A GENERAL DANGER, AND ATTEMPTED
EXTORTION. MILAN "CILA" SCEKIC IS TRIED IN ABSENTIA. ACCORDING
TO LOCAL LEGISLATION, THE POSSIBLE SENTENCES FOR THE MENTIONED
CRIMES VARY FROM 5 TO 30 YEARS IN PRISON.



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5. (U) JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS WERE HELD ON JUNE 2 - 3, AND JUNE
18-19.



SPECIAL PROSECUTOR DISTRUSTS JUDGE JOVANOVIC

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6. (U) THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR FOR ORGANIZED CRIME STOJANKA
RADOVIC ON JULY 19 FILED A REQUEST WITH PRESIDING JUDGE AKOVIC
THAT ONE OF THE THREE PANEL JUDGES, CEDOMIR JANJEVIC, BE REMOVED
FROM THE CASE. SHE CITES EVIDENCE THAT IN MAY 2005 JUDGE
JANJEVIC BOUGHT A HOUSE AND LATER A PLOT OF LAND FROM MILKA
BULATOVIC, MOTHER OF ACCUSED LJUBO VUJADINOVIC. THE PROSECUTORS
VIEW IS THAT THE TRANSACTIONS TOOK PLACE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE
PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS THAT
CULMINATED IN SCEKIC'S MURDER. "IT ALL CREATES A JUSTIFIED
SUSPICION OF THE OBJECTIVITY OF JUDGE CEDOMIR JOVANOVIC, FOR THE
PURCHASING OF A HOUSE ENTAILS ESTABLISHING OF CLOSE HUMAN AND
PRIVATE RELATIONS," STATED THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR. THE DECISION
ABOUT WHETHER TO REMOVE JUDGE JOVANOVIC FROM THE CASE IS TO BE
TAKEN BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PODGORICA HIGH COURT IVICA
STANKOVIC.



COMMENT

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7. (SBU) THE TRIAL OF THOSE ACCUSED OF KILLING POLICE OFFICIAL
SCEKIC, AS WELL AS THE ONGOING TRIAL OF EIGHTEEN ETHNIC
ALBANIANS ACCUSED OF PLANNING TERRORIST ATTACKS IN MONTENEGRO,
PROCEEDS SLOWLY. WITH THE APPROACHING SUMMER HOLIDAYS THERE IS
LITTLE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE SCEKIC MURDER TRIAL WILL BE RESUMED
BEFORE SEPTEMBER. HOWEVER, POST VIEWS POSITIVELY THE
PROSECUTOR'S REQUEST TO REMOVE JOVANOVIC; EVEN IF HIS HOUSE
PURCHASE WAS INNOCENT (A SOMEWHAT DUBIOUS ASSERTION),HE SHOULD
HAVE RECUSED HIMSELF FROM THE CASE AT THE START - AVOIDING THE
APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY.
BARNES
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