Trial of Former Belgrade Police Chief Begins

Veselin Milic (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV)

On Nov. 9, Belgrade’s First Basic Court is set to commence the trial of former Belgrade Police Directorate head Veselin Milic, accused of involvement in the so-called Senjak Murder Case – i.e. the May 12 killing of controversial businessman Aleksandar ‘Baja’ Nesovic at a restaurant in the capital’s Senjak neighborhood.

According to the prosecution, Nesovic was murdered by Sasa ‘Boske’ Vukovic but multiple people were involved in removing evidence in an attempt to cover up the crime. The case has garnered immense public attention primarily because it led to the arrest of the capital’s police chief early on, but also because it has been marked by numerous surprising developments.

Milic was initially accused of failing to report the murder as well as of filing an official report that omitted important and included false data.

The prosecution’s case against Milic – for failing to report murder and serving as an accessory after the fact – was initiated by the Criminal Police Directorate, headed by Marko Kricak. Lauded by then-president Aleksandar Vucic during the country-wide university student protests despite protestors’ claims of grievous abuse at Kricak’s hands and command, Kricak was arrested on Nov. 1 on suspicion of multiple crimes and is currently in police custody.

A month into the investigation of Milic, the Higher Prosecutor’s Office dropped the charges of destroying evidence but continued exploring the charge of failing to report murder.

Milic’s defense had previously made public his statement to the prosecutor’s office, in which he denied guilt and claimed “there is not a single piece of evidence linking [him] to the serious yet untrue accusations” levied against him by the Criminal Police Directorate. The former Belgrade police chief’s legal team further filed a criminal complaint against Kricak, maintaining he deliberately, “for personal reasons,” withheld evidence which would clear Milic.

Several days ahead of Milic’s scheduled trial, Kricak was arrested for allegedly knowing that Milic left the Senjak restaurant before the murder took place, a fact directly contrary to what the police report against Milic claims.

The proceedings against Milic have been separated from those concerning the rest of the Senjak Murder Case defendants, and reduced to a lower level. This means he will stand trial before a basic court instead of the Higher Court, that the proceedings will be shortened and that he is standing trial while at liberty.

Although Milic was moved from his position as Belgrade Police Directorate chief following his arrest, he is now serving as assistant police chief.

During his career, Milic has also held the position of advisor for combating corruption and crime to ex-president Aleksandar Vucic and was considered one of Vucic’s closest and most loyal associates for years.

Having spent a significant amount of time as a top police official, Milic is also believed to have been privy to ample secret data concerning Serbia’s most famous unsolved cases. These include the Savamala Case – where people were harrassed while their property was destroyed overnight in 2016, ultimately clearing space for the construction of Belgrade Waterfront; the murder of high-profile defense attorney Dragoslav ‘Misa’ Ognjanovic – whose client list included Slobodan Milosevic; the Jovanjica marijuana plantation scandal; and the arrest and activities of the Belivuk Gang, which claims its numerous crimes were conducted on behalf of Aleksandar Vucic’s regime.