"Crime boss Jocić to turn state's evidence?"

Crime boss Sreten Jocic has been offered the status of a protected witness, writes daily Blic, a claim that Jocic’s lawyer denies. It is understood that Jocic , who was arrested in late May on suspicion of ordering and financing the murder of Ivo Pukanic, the owner of Croatian weekly Nacional, will be offered the status of a protected witness on condition that he reveals the names of actors in unsolved murders committed in Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Holland over the last 15 years, the daily states. "Crime boss Jocic to turn state's evidence?" Blic adds that the list of requests that Serbia’s most notorious criminal will have to meet in order to receive protected witness status will be compiled in agreement with the four countries’ police forces. The first condition is that he reveals the name of the head of the crime group that ordered Pukanic’s murder, says Blic. Jocic is currently the first-accused on the indictment for this crime, even though there are serious indications that he was not the real mastermind, says the daily. His lawyer Zdenko Tomanovic told B92 that there had been no such offers for his information, as, he said, there was no evidence that he had committed the crimes he was accused of. “I can’t comment on that right now. All I can say is that the defense will, before the week’s out, ask the court to make public at least one piece of evidence against Jocic, and the defense will also propose that a list be compiled of around 80 witnesses that need to be interviewed if there are any plans afoot to conduct an investigation against Jocic,” said Tomanovic. “As for the texts you’re talking about, I really can’t comment. I’d first have to ask him, but I really can’t comment on that now, as there are no such ideas for the time being,” he insisted.

"Crime boss Jocić to turn state's evidence?"

Blic adds that the list of requests that Serbia’s most notorious criminal will have to meet in order to receive protected witness status will be compiled in agreement with the four countries’ police forces.

The first condition is that he reveals the name of the head of the crime group that ordered Pukanić’s murder, says Blic.

Jocić is currently the first-accused on the indictment for this crime, even though there are serious indications that he was not the real mastermind, says the daily.

His lawyer Zdenko Tomanović told B92 that there had been no such offers for his information, as, he said, there was no evidence that he had committed the crimes he was accused of.

“I can’t comment on that right now. All I can say is that the defense will, before the week’s out, ask the court to make public at least one piece of evidence against Jocić, and the defense will also propose that a list be compiled of around 80 witnesses that need to be interviewed if there are any plans afoot to conduct an investigation against Jocić,” said Tomanović.

“As for the texts you’re talking about, I really can’t comment. I’d first have to ask him, but I really can’t comment on that now, as there are no such ideas for the time being,” he insisted.