HRA NEWSLETTER 12 – TOPIC 10

Four defendants – Saša Boreta, Ljubo Bigović, Ljubo Vujadinović, and Milan Šćekić – accused of murdering police inspector Slavoljub Šćekić in August 2005, were sentenced to 30 years in prison each in a retrial. The judgment was delivered by a panel of the Appellate Court.

The criminal proceedings against the defendants lasted nearly 20 years, during which nine judgments were issued: three at first instance and six at appeal. Three decisions of the Supreme Court were made on appeals, as well as one decision of the Constitutional Court. In this marathon case, judgments were overturned six times.

The case was also accompanied by additional controversies. These ranged from judgments containing technical and substantive errors to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg confirming unlawful treatment of defendant Ljubo Bigović. His rights were reviewed twice, and in 2019 the Court ruled against Montenegro on his application.

Following the Appellate Court judgment, Slavica Šćekić, the sister of the slain inspector, stated that “justice has finally been achieved”

On the other hand, the defense, which retains the right to appeal to the Supreme Court of Montenegro, expressed disappointment with the ruling.

“There is not a single piece of evidence against these defendants in this case. That is beyond any doubt. To issue a judgment confirming the first-instance ruling of the High Court in Podgorica and uphold it, when roughly three years ago the same panel of this Appellate Court overturned that conviction… And today they decided to issue the judgment as if their previous decision does not exist. I do not know on what basis or under which law, but we are waiting for the reasoning. After 35 years as a lawyer, I will probably learn something,” said attorney Dragoljub Đukanović, once again pointing out the controversial credibility of the protected witness Zoran Vlaović, on whose testimony the judgment is based.

Slavoljub Šćekić was shot and killed in front of his family home in the Tološi neighborhood of Podgorica on August 30, 2005, when the perpetrator fired at him with an automatic weapon.

HRA NEWSLETTER 12

• N12.T1 – Constitutional Court at risk of blockade, authorities did not allow the election of Mirjana Vučinić as Constitutional Court judge
• N12.T2 – Minister of Justice Announces Consideration of UN Rapporteur’s Recommendations in Upcoming Legal Reforms
• N12.T3 – New Political Attacks on Constitutional Court Decisions Without Legal Grounds
• N12.T4 – Vesna Medenica Prohibited from Leaving Home Due to Court Absences, U.S. Places Her on Blacklist
• N12.T5 – Dragan Kovačević Acquitted by High Court – Judge’s Formulation Raises Concerns
• N12.T6 – Accountability of Saša Čađenović Under Review Over Statute of Limitations in ‘Telekom’ Case, Other Prosecutors Overlooked
• N12.T7 – Residents of Bijelo Polje Protest Over Delays at Administrative Court
• N12.T8 – Pre-Trial Detainees on Strike; Supreme Court President Calls for Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code
• N12.T9 – Montenegro Loses Cases at the European Court of Human Rights; Government Issues Recommendations to Prevent New Applications
• N12.T10 – Four Convicted to 30 Years in Prison for the Murder of Inspector Slavoljub Šćekić
• N12.T11 – Prosecutorial Council Appeals to Parliament to Elect New Members; Special Prosecutor’s Office Strengthened
• N12.BN – BRIEF NEWS