High Court in Podgorica has validated the indictment against Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic in the state coup case, the court confirmed for Dan.
Thus, conditions are met for the beginning of a trial for DF’s leaders.
In addition to the DF leaders, the Special State Prosecutor’s Office’s (SDT) indictment includes two Russian nationals Eduard Shishmakov and Vladimir Popov; Serbian citizens Milos Jovanovic, Nemanja Ristic, Predrag Bogicevic, Bratislav Dikic, Kristina Hristic, Branka Milic, Milan Dusic, Dragan Maksic, Srboljub Djordjevic; and DF driver Mihailo Cadjenovic.
DF translator/interpreter Ananije Nino Nikic has been charged in a separate case.
According to the indictment, on 16 October last year a coup was prevented in Montenegro.
Defendants in the coup case said that the charges were unfounded and arbitrary and that it should be returned to SDT for complementing, in order for the evidence to be better understood. Some of them even demanded rejecting it due to lack of evidence.
The defendants’ attorneys see the fact that the indictment was based on the testimony of cooperative witnesses Sasa Sindjelic as particularly controversial. According to them, his testimony has been completely destroyed by Serbian Security and Intelligence Agency (BIA) and Ministry of Interior.
Milan Knezevic’s attorney Miroje Jovanovic submitted to the court a document obtained from the Serbian ministry showing that Sindjelic had not left Serbia from 1 January to 23 October 2016.
On the other hand, according to the indictment, it was found that Shishmakov established the criminal organisation, together with Vladimir Popov. Allegedly they gave instructions and orders to the members of the organisation to commit the offenses.
“After meeting with Sasa Sindjelic in Moscow, at which Shishmakov presented his criminal plan, Shishmakov and Popov came to Serbia to implement the criminal plan. They stayed in different hotels in Belgrade until 21 October 2016, which was determined by checking the state border crossings records and relevant documents on their stay,” the indictment says.
