Montenegro’s Special State Prosecutor Appeals Acquittal in Major Case

The Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT) in Montenegro has filed an appeal against the acquittal ruling issued by the High Court in Podgorica in a significant case involving multiple defendants. This appeal was submitted to the Appellate Court of Montenegro today, targeting the initial verdict that cleared several individuals of serious charges.

Among those acquitted are prominent figures such as Predrag Bošković, Budimir Šegrt, and Sanja Vlahović. The original verdict was made public on May 16, 2023, with an official copy of the ruling being delivered to the SDT on October 14, 2023. The SDT noted that this delivery included a legal notice stipulating a 15-day period for filing an appeal after receipt of the ruling.

The SDT’s appeal argues that there have been significant violations of the provisions of criminal procedure and claims that the factual situation was incorrectly and incompletely established during the trial. The prosecution has requested that the Appellate Court annul the initial ruling and return the case to the first-instance court for a retrial. They have also proposed that the new main hearing before the lower court be conducted with a completely revised panel of judges.

Given the public interest surrounding this case, the SDT has decided to release an anonymized version of the appeal in its entirety. This move aims to maintain transparency while ensuring that the judicial process is accessible to the public.

The outcome of this appeal could have substantial implications for the individuals involved as well as for the broader judicial landscape in Montenegro. As the SDT seeks to challenge the previous ruling, the focus will remain on the procedural integrity and the factual determinations made during the trial.