Balkans | Two suspects released in the murder case of the Serbian crime syndicate leader

In the first hearing of the case regarding the killing of Serbian organized crime boss Jovan Vukotic as a result of an armed attack, the court ordered the release of the two detained suspects.

While 10 detained defendants and two defendants, one under house arrest and the other under arrest, attended the 40th High Criminal Court session in Istanbul, 3 detained defendants attended the session through the audio-visual information system (SEGBİS).

Two organizational leads were rejected

The leader of a criminal organization, Kavaki, the arrested accused Raduji Zivković, said in his defense from his prison via SEGBİS, “I know Milan, Asia and Ayci among the defendants there. I have not seen any crime accused against me in the indictment. The photos in the indictment are not mine. I did not give the password to my phone At security he did not unlock my phone.The photos allegedly taken from my phone do not belong to me.I don’t remember the phone passwords.”I have no interest or knowledge of the events,” he said.

Defendant Milan Vugotic, who was ordered under house arrest due to his health problems, claimed that he had nothing to do with the incident and said: “I am a citizen of Montenegro, I have nothing to do with Serbia. I do not accept the charges. I have nothing to do with a criminal organization. I came to Turkey.” “To receive treatment because I was injured while skiing in France. Many Montenegrins come here for treatment, with the advancement of medicine. When the police caught me, they accused me of murder, it’s not true. I don’t know the Turkish citizens mentioned in the indictment.”

“I have nothing to do with the event.”

Detained defendant Asiye Yuksel stated that she was a friend of the accused Radoje Zivković and that they were also in business and said: “I am nowhere in this incident. I don’t know the people here. Radoje Zivković sent me pictures of the car in which the victim was found on my phone or He took my phone for 2-3 days and took it at that time. If I had known Radoje Zivkovic as in the indictment, I would not have met him. I saw the murdered person on the news website a few days after the accident. I showed Radoje Zivkovic and he said he did not know. I have no Relationship to the case. I demand my release.” Presiding Judge Radoje Zivković asked about photos of the car on Asiye Yuksel’s phone. The defendant said he did not remember the photos.

Two defenders were separated

The court announced its provisional decision after making a decision to defend 10 defendants, and decided to release the arrested defendants, Aisha Sipahi and Niyazi Serkan Altundasar, on the condition of judicial control. While the judicial control measures were lifted against the accused Murat Polat, it was decided that the car photos found on Asiye Yüksel’s phone would be investigated and the other defendants heard in the next session. The hearing has been adjourned to May 8, 2023.

Date of Event

Jovan Vukotic, one of the leaders of the Skaljarski organized crime group, who was arrested in Turkey in 2018 and illegally returned to Turkey after his release in Serbia, where he was extradited, was attacked by armed men in the car he was in. With Masa Messick and his sons. Vukotic lost his life in an attack carried out by two people on a motorbike around 19.55 hours on September 8, 2022 in Sisli. After the assassination, it was determined that Radoje Zivković, director of the crime organization ‘Kavaki’, had carried out the attack through his connections in Turkey, in studies conducted by the Istanbul Police Organized Crime Department and the Intelligence Branch. . The murder suspects Radoj Zivković and Zdravko Perunović, as well as suspects identified as helping them, were arrested in the operation carried out on 16 September.

In the indictment prepared by the Investigation Office for Terrorism and Organized Crime of the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office, it was stated that Jovan Vukotic was the leader of Skaljarski’s criminal organization, and that there was a drug war between Skaljarski and Kavacki’s organization. Kavacki’s organization reports that several Skaljarski members have been killed, and that Jovan Vukotic came to Turkey on October 2, 2021 to escape possible action. The indictment stated that the organization’s directors Radoje Zıvkovic and Milan Vujotic were working to locate Vukotic in line with instructions they received from Radoje Zvicer, the leader of Kavacki’s organization and whose file was dismissed. He explained that they aimed to organize an attack, and that they had contacted the Camgözler crime organization, which is led by Benali Camgözler, who is active in Izmir and imprisoned in Karadag. On behalf of the organization, it was reported that Niyazi Serkan Altundasar and Erdi Ertan made Ayşe Sepahı and Asya Yuksel mediation began to contact the criminal organization Kavaki on the occasion of Radoje Zivković, and Jovan Vukotic was killed as a result of an armed attack.

Sanctions requests

In the indictment, aggravated life sentences and imprisonment from 7 years to 17 years are sought for suspects Radoj Zivković and Milan Vogotic, who are the leaders of the organization, for “creating and managing an armed criminal organization”, “murder by design” and “falsification of official documents”. 2 years 6 months to 6 years and aggravated life imprisonment for 6 suspects on charges of “membership in an armed criminal organization” and “intentionally murder”; 8 of the suspects were asked to be sentenced to one to two years in prison, and aggravated life imprisonment for the crimes of “helping a terrorist organization without being a member, and premeditated murder.”

DHA