Knežević's defense: Šuković and Vukotić want to eliminate me, I refused to dismiss officers under pressure of Novović

Former Assistant Director of the Police Directorate Dejan Knežević categorically denied before the High Court the allegations in the indictment that he had leaked confidential information to a group allegedly formed by Ljubo Milović and Mileta Ojdanić, stressing that the head of the Special Police Department Predrag Šuković and the prosecutor representing the indictment Jovan Vukotić are seeking to eliminate him both professionally and personally. Knežević also accused Vukotić of wanting „to eliminate his family and that things are moving in a 'good' direction“.

- Today I am defending my reputation and professional integrity, as well as the reputation of my children, my family, and friends who stand by me and give me unconditional support. They too have been affected by injustice - Knežević said.

He explained that it was no coincidence that both cases against him are being handled by prosecutor Jovan Vukotić, stating that while he was Assistant Director of the Police Directorate, the head of the Special Police Department Predrag Šuković told him that „they were waiting for Joco to be on duty to work on certain cases“.

- That duo, Šuković and Vukotić, want my professional and personal elimination - Knežević said.

He further stated that three days prior to his first arrest, he was visited by Chief Special Prosecutor Vladimir Novović, cabinet adviser Milan Dakić, prosecutor Jovan Vukotić, Predrag Šuković and the head of the Police Directorate Zoran Brđanin.

- Novović told both Brđanin and me that they had to „clean up“ the police if we wanted to save ourselves. They mentioned Milorad Žižić and other colleagues who should be removed. I asked to see what they had in writing on those individuals - Knežević said.

He added that Brđanin was advised to draw up a list of police officers and take it to prosecutor Jovan Vukotić to determine who should be removed.

According to Knežević, Brđanin asked him to provide a list of all employed police officers, to which Knežević replied that he would do so, but that Vukotić was not competent and that „they could do whatever they wanted without his knowledge“.

- I spent nine or ten months in detention, and some colleagues told me that if I had removed certain people, I would not have been there. It is more honorable to spend ten months in detention as an innocent man than to remove someone without grounds under pressure, as Vladimir Novović demanded - Knežević pointed out.

Knežević emphasized that the proceedings against him were fabricated for personal and strategic interests. Prosecutor Vukotić, he said, manipulated evidence and concealed SKY communication materials.

- One cannot escape the truth and the truth does not tolerate speculation - Knežević said.

He stated that he would answer questions from all parties in the proceedings and from prosecutor Maja Jovanović, but not from prosecutor Jovan Vukotić.

The reason for this, he stressed, is that the indictment is tainted by hatred and animosity.

- The last straw was my most recent arrest for alleged falsification of official documents - Knežević said.

He told the panel presided over by Judge Simo Rašović that he had given a detailed defense in that case and that the prosecutor had told him that if his statement were confirmed, he would not seek detention.

Despite the fact that his statement was confirmed by Aleksandar Bošković, the prosecutor sent a substitute to the hearing before the investigating judge and requested detention on three legal grounds.

- These are the reasons why I will not answer his questions - Knežević said.

He added that he would not have found himself in the indictment had he not been Assistant Director of the Police Directorate. Knežević explained that he had more than 100 professional contacts per month with colleagues from Montenegro and abroad.

- I never received, either orally or in writing, any warning from the Police Directorate, the National Security Agency or international partners that any of the colleagues with whom I had professional communication were involved in any unlawful activity or criminal offense - specifically regarding Ljubo Milović. Had I been informed, I would have terminated the communication. Without such information, I regarded every colleague as a professional. Today, public perception is different compared to the time when I cooperated with them and when they had full professional legitimacy - Knežević said.

Through this indictment, the Special State Prosecutor’s Office has charged former police officer Ljubo Milović (40), Mileta Ojdanić (51), Ivan Stamatović (40), Nebojša Bugarin (43), Petar Lazović (33), Marko Novaković (37), Milan Popović (40), Miloš Mišurović (41), Vladimir Bajčeta (43), Goran Stojanović (40), Dejan Knežević (50), Darko Knežević (44), Milo Božović (46), Radoje Zvicer (41), Božidar Jabučanin (46), Aleksandar Keković (31), Dražen Milović (36), Filip Zindović (34), Ivan Nikolić (37), Tihomir Adžić (38), Ivan Mijatović (38) and several unidentified persons.

Among other charges, they are accused of forming a criminal organization, money laundering, unauthorized production, possession and distribution of narcotic drugs, and illegal possession of weapons and explosive materials.