Testimony of Ljubiša Kan: I remember nothing, I do not know the defendants and I am not joining the criminal prosecution

I do not know any of the defendants. I have nothing to say. I do not remember the details I stated before the prosecutor. I am not joining the criminal prosecution and I do not wish to attend the trial - Marko Ljubiša, known as Kan, said in a brief testimony before the High Court in Podgorica, who, according to police records, is considered a member of the „Škaljari“ clan.

He has the status of a witness in the proceedings conducted by the Special State Prosecutor’s Office against the group of Radoje Zvicer and Nikola Vušović, also known as „Johnny from Vračar“. According to the indictment, the group planned to kill him in January 2021.

Security was increased both inside the courtroom and outside the High Court.

- I cannot remember anything. I only remember that I gave a statement to the prosecutor, but not the details - Ljubiša Kan briefly said.

When asked by Judge Nada Rabrenović, he also stated that he could not recall which establishment he frequented the most in 2021.

The defendants had no remarks or objections to Ljubiša Kan’s testimony.

Judge Rabrenović then read his earlier statement given to the Prosecutor’s Office, where he said that he originates from Paštrovići, lives in Budva, and works in real estate.

He said he was aware of the event from 2021 when Strahinja Savić was detained, but added that he does not know any of the suspects and does not know why anyone would want to kill him.

After Ljubiša Kan’s testimony, one of the defense lawyers, attorney Stefan Jovanović, said that the witness does not remember anything and that even in his statement to the prosecutor he did not incriminate anyone.

Besides Zvicer and Vušović, the indictment also includes Mario Milošević, Damir Mandić, Radovan Mujović, Ivan Biletić, Aleksandar Ćetković, Davor Kordić and Branko Simić.

Zvicer, Vušović, and Simić are being tried in absentia.

At today’s hearing, witness Luka Pićurić was also questioned. In 2021 he worked at the Budva Security Center, and testified regarding the details of examining and documenting photographs and communications he found on Strahinja Savić’s phone.

Savić had been brought to the police station at the time, and according to the witness, police chief Vesko Nedović handed him an unlocked phone.

- Five years have passed since that event, but I remember that the content on the phone was suddenly deleted. I returned the phone to the chief, and I believe I managed to record most of the communications and save the photographs - Pićurić said.

What particularly stood out to him, he said, was a message that arrived on the phone: „He’s not answering, he must have been caught“. At that moment, according to his testimony, all communication on the phone was deleted.

The defense raised objections to his testimony, and the defendants themselves reacted after the witness responded to several questions from their lawyers by saying he could not remember.

This especially provoked a reaction from defendant Damir Mandić, who said the witness remembers what suits him, but not the details that do not.

Responding to questions from the defense, Pićurić repeated that he had received an order from the chief to examine the phone and that he had done so.

He also stated that during his time in the police, two years and seven months, he never received such a request again.

The lawyers pointed out that witnesses, as well as Strahinja Savić, should have been present during the procedure.

At one of the earlier hearings, attorney Ranko Radonjić requested that an official note concerning the details of the inspection of Strahinja Savić’s phone be removed from the case file.

During Pićurić’s testimony, defendant Mandić said that they had „buried him for twenty years and now want even more“. Judge Rabrenović warned him and said he would be removed from the courtroom if he continued, to which Mandić replied: „Police officers Bulatović, Šćepanović and the rest didn’t lie against you“.

Defendant Mario Milošević also made remarks after the testimonies of Ljubiša Kan and Pićurić. He said he believes in the honor and integrity of the judicial panel and sincerely hopes they will remember the statements of these two witnesses, adding that it is clear to everyone „what this is about“.

- I hope that the Criminal Procedure Code will apply to Mario and Damir in the same way it applied to Milan and Andrija, who were acquitted by the High Court, which was later confirmed by the Court of Appeal - Milošević said.

The trial will continue on March 27.