Lawyer for accused Maksimović: My client was grilling on the day of the attack in Banjska

Dušan Maksimović, Vladimir Tolić and Blagoje Spasojević, today on 17.04.2025, sat in the dock in connection with the case of the terrorist attack in Banjska. The main part of the trial in the case of the terrorist attack in Banjska, which killed Kosovo Police Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku, has begun at the Court of Pristina. Today, the trial continued with the presentation of the parties' opening statements.

After the presentation of opening statements by prosecutor Naim Abazi, and the representative of the family of the murdered police officer, Afrim Bunjaku, and lawyer Arian Koci, the session continued with opening statements by the defense attorneys of the accused and the accused themselves.

The defense attorney of the accused Dusan Maksimovic, lawyer Jovana Filipovic, during her opening remarks said that it will be proven that Dusan had been grilling with his friends on the day the incident occurred.

"That is, 5 photos in total have been presented, the first one showing Dushan with a hat on his face, it is not a photo that came out in September 2023, it is a photo from Zvecan, this photo has been presented to the public several times, but Dushan did nothing wrong there, so he is not charged with that criminal offense," said lawyer Jovana Filipović during her speech.

According to his lawyer, there is nothing else that Dushan did wrong, therefore all the evidence and all the facts are brought to his detriment.

"The second photo is Dushan with a photo and a flag, there is nothing controversial about this flag, let's say the flag is prohibited, but it does not represent a criminal offense, and this is again a fact that is brought up in this criminal procedure. The third photo that Dushan is in a certain form, that photo was recorded 9 months before the critical day, it can be seen that it was recorded at home. Dushan has already taken off this photo and uniform, but what is important, this uniform is not the uniform that the participants wore in the Banjska event, we can prove this in the indictment with a simple glance", said lawyer Filipović.

"If we take a look at page 133 of the indictment, in Albanian, a photograph found on pages 92, 94, 95, it is clearly seen that these two uniforms have no resemblance whatsoever. In the fourth photograph, Dushani is seen, this is an air rifle, anyone who knows about weapons can see this, but let's be sure that the court and the jury will evaluate it," the lawyer added.

Also, the defense attorney of the accused Dusan Maksimovic, lawyer Jovana Filipovic, said that in all the documents that were presented to the court today in his hands, no trace of gunpowder was found.

"There is no trace of gunpowder in his hands, in all the documents that have been presented before the court today, and those that are in the indictment and that we have had the opportunity to see until today," said Filipović.

Defendant Dušan Maksimović said he had nothing more to add and supported his lawyer's words.

The three defendants in this case, Dusan Maksimovic, Vladimir Tolic and Blagoje Spasojevic, were brought before the court, handcuffed.

At the start of the trial, unlike other times when there were physical interpreters, now the media, the accused, lawyers, and other participants in the courtroom have been equipped with translation tools, in order to ensure the smooth running of the process.

The three defendants in the case of the terrorist attack in Banjska Zvečan in 2023, Dušan Maksimović, Blagoje Spasojević and Vladimir Tolić, have not pleaded guilty to the criminal offenses they are charged with, even at the main hearing.

All three pleaded not guilty in court.

According to the Prosecution, 45 defendants were involved in the terrorist attack in Banjska on 24.09.2023.

This case is being handled in the Special Department of the Court of Pristina, composed of the panel of judges Arben Hoti (presiding judge) and Rrahman Beqiri and Ngadhnjim Arrni as members. /Kallxo.com/