Crime boss to go before investigative judge

Serbian crime boss Jocic, who has denied any involvement in the murder of Croatian journalist Ivo Pukanic, will be questioned by the investigative judge today. Sreten Jocic was questioned at Belgrade police HQ last night in the presence of his lawyer and a prosecutor from the Special Court for Organized Crime. Crime boss to go before investigative judge Jocic’s lawyer Zdenko Tomanovic told B92 that his client had denied being involved in the murder, saying that the allegations were part of a political game in Croatia. Tomanovic said that Jocic was adamant that there was no evidence whatsoever that could link him to Pukanic’s murder. “Jocic said that the prosecution had reacted to rumors from Croatia, and, instead of corroborating them, they accused him of this crime and then, as a Serbian citizen, pushed him into a game between the Croatian intelligence structure, Croatian police and the Croatian underground,” the lawyer said. “According to Jocic, the Serbian prosecution reacted like this strictly for the needs of the political and police situation in Croatia,” he said. Tomanovic added that Jocic was refusing to comment on any speculation as to his involvement in Pukanic’s murder until some evidence was presented. Upon expiry of the 48-hour custody period, Jocic will be taken to the investigative judge for questioning at the Special Court for Organized Crime. Judge Maja Tomic said that she did not know whether there were any documents from Zagreb regarding the Pukanic case, but said that this would be necessary since Jocic cannot be extradited to Croatia. “The only possibility is for Croatia to give its part of the case, its investigation, to us, for the special prosecutor to take over this part of the investigation concerning Jocic’s possible role in this murder and to conduct an investigation through our courts, and later indict him before one of our courts as well,” Tomic explained. According to unconfirmed reports, the documents from Zagreb have already arrived in Belgrade and were brought in person by Croatian State Prosecutor Mladen Bajic and Croatian Police Chief Vladimir Faber, who were in Serbia last week. The documentation contained key information on the basis of which Serbian detectives decided that Jocic could be subject to prosecution. Jocic was arrested on suspicion that he could abscond from the country in the meantime, daily Blic writes. Sreten Jocic (FoNet, archive)

Crime boss to go before investigative judge

Jočić’s lawyer Zdenko Tomanović told B92 that his client had denied being involved in the murder, saying that the allegations were part of a political game in Croatia.

Tomanović said that Jočić was adamant that there was no evidence whatsoever that could link him to Pukanić’s murder.

“Jočić said that the prosecution had reacted to rumors from Croatia, and, instead of corroborating them, they accused him of this crime and then, as a Serbian citizen, pushed him into a game between the Croatian intelligence structure, Croatian police and the Croatian underground,” the lawyer said.

“According to Jočić, the Serbian prosecution reacted like this strictly for the needs of the political and police situation in Croatia,” he said.

Tomanović added that Jočić was refusing to comment on any speculation as to his involvement in Pukanić’s murder until some evidence was presented.

Upon expiry of the 48-hour custody period, Jočić will be taken to the investigative judge for questioning at the Special Court for Organized Crime.

Judge Maja Tomić said that she did not know whether there were any documents from Zagreb regarding the Pukanić case, but said that this would be necessary since Jočić cannot be extradited to Croatia.

“The only possibility is for Croatia to give its part of the case, its investigation, to us, for the special prosecutor to take over this part of the investigation concerning Jočić’s possible role in this murder and to conduct an investigation through our courts, and later indict him before one of our courts as well,” Tomić explained.

According to unconfirmed reports, the documents from Zagreb have already arrived in Belgrade and were brought in person by Croatian State Prosecutor Mladen Bajić and Croatian Police Chief Vladimir Faber, who were in Serbia last week.

The documentation contained key information on the basis of which Serbian detectives decided that Jočić could be subject to prosecution.

Jočić was arrested on suspicion that he could abscond from the country in the meantime, daily Blic writes.