The High Court in Podgorica has dismissed the appeal against the decision to extend the detention of businessman Zoran Bećirović and his bodyguard Mladen Mijatović, who are accused of attacking Pobjeda journalist Ana Raičković, the Basic Court in Podgorica told Pobjeda.
Bećirović and Mijatović are also accused of attacking her son Uroš Gagović and fiancé Toma Arapović on November 10, 2024, in front of the “Gurman” restaurant.
“On February 10, 2025, the defense attorney of the accused, lawyer Danilo Mićović, filed an appeal against the said decision. On February 14, 2025, the High Court in Podgorica dismissed the appeal as unfounded,” the court stated.
At the hearing on February 6, the court rejected the request of defense attorneys Marta Šćepanović and Danilo Mićović to release Bećirović and Mijatović from detention, explaining that the reasons for their detention and its extension still stand—namely, the risk of repeating the criminal offense and the threat of committing a new crime.
There is an ongoing procedure against Bećirović, his son Luka, and security personnel—Ministry of Internal Affairs officers Mladen Mijatović and Ljubiša Dukić—due to the attack on Raičković and her family. Raičković was insulted, threatened, and eventually pulled out of her car, strangled, dragged by her hair, and had her car window shattered. During the trial on January 31, the accused denied guilt, claiming they did not “lay a finger” on Raičković or her family, nor did they insult or threaten them.
Zoran and Luka Bećirović and Mijatović were arrested on November 10 last year, while Dukić was arrested two days later. Zoran Bećirović and Mijatović were remanded in custody, while the younger Bećirović and Dukić released pending trial.
The accused are charged with violent behavior, for which the maximum penalty is up to five years in prison.
At the main hearing, Bećirović claimed he neither threatened nor insulted Raičković, stating he had never seen her before and did not physically assault her.
On the other hand, Raičković, at the hearing on February 6, described the attack in detail, stating she was initially subjected to vile insults and threats, followed by a physical assault on her and her family.
On the same day, her son and fiancé testified, stating they arrived on the night of the incident to protect Raičković from the attackers.
The trial regarding this case against both the younger and elder Bećirović, as well as MUP officers Mladen Mijatović and Ljubiša Dukić, will continue on February 24, when witnesses will be heard, including Police Administration officer Srđan Korać, who was at “Gurman” that night with owner Ranko Radulović and lawyer Balša Dragović.
Source: Pobjeda