Marko Vučinić will remain in detention
The Court of Appeal has rejected the defense’s appeal against the decision of the panel of the High Court which ordered the detention of Marko Vučinić, one of the defendants in the case against former President of the Supreme Court Vesna Medenica and her fugitive son Miloš Medenica, his defense attorney Miloš Vuksanović confirmed to Portal ETV.
The panel of the High Court ordered Vučinić’s detention due to the risk of flight.
Vučinić, who is the godfather of the fugitive Medenica, was sentenced in the first-instance verdict to a unified prison sentence of six years and two months and is required to pay 15,000 euros. He was also previously subjected to measures prohibiting him from leaving Podgorica and had his passport confiscated.
Former President of the Supreme Court Vesna Medenica was sentenced to ten years in prison, while her son Miloš Medenica was sentenced to ten years and two months in prison and both were ordered to pay 50,000 euros each. He fled on the day the verdict was delivered. An international arrest warrant has been issued for him.
The first-instance verdict was delivered by High Court judge Vesna Kovačević. All defendants were found guilty. Miloš Medenica, Marko Vučinić, Nikola Raičević, Petar Milutinović, Jovan Miković, Vojin Perunović, Milorad Medenica, Marjan Bevanja, Stevo Karanikić, Ivana Kovačević and Goran Jovanović must pay a total of 2,736,715 euros into the state budget for the damage caused.
Nikola Raičević was sentenced to eight years in prison and ordered to pay 20,000 euros, Marko Popović was sentenced to one year, Bojan Popović to six months, and Vasilije Petrović to one year in prison. Milorad Medenica received a unified sentence of three years and two months, while Luka Bakoč was sentenced to one year and four months and his detention was lifted. Radomir Raičević was sentenced to one year and four months, Darko Lalović to one year, and Petar Milutinović to three years along with an additional fine of 5,000 euros. Marjan Bevanja and Stevo Karanikić were each sentenced to four years; Ivana Kovačević to four and a half years and ordered to pay 15,000 euros, Goran Jovanović and Jovan Milović to three years and ten months each, and Vojin Perunović to two years in prison.
According to the indictment of the Special State Prosecutor’s Office, the criminal organization led by Miloš Medenica was formed for the purpose of smuggling cigarettes and marijuana, as well as exerting illegal influence on court decisions.