Indictment against Nikola V. (24): incited minor to throw grenade at Kragujevac venue
The Belgrade Higher Public Prosecutor's Office has filed an indictment against Nikola V., alleging that to cancel an 800-euro debt he induced a minor to throw a hand grenade at a business venue.
- The Belgrade Higher Public Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against Nikola V. (24) for inciting a minor to cause an explosion.
- On April 11, the minor armed an M 75 hand grenade and threw it at a business venue in Kragujevac.
- According to the investigation, the motive was to cancel an 800-euro drug debt and a payment of a further 200 euros.
- The defendant faces charges of causing public danger and unlawful possession of explosive material.
The Belgrade Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office has filed an indictment against Nikola V. (24) on reasonable suspicion that he incited a minor to cause public danger to property on a large scale by throwing a hand grenade. The release was published on May 28.
The offense, according to the indictment, was committed on April 11 this year on the territory of Kragujevac. Proceedings against the minor are being conducted separately, before a juvenile judge at the Belgrade Higher Court.
How the offense was committed
According to the investigation, on April 9 this year, in the Bele Vode neighborhood, Nikola V. asked the minor to throw a grenade at a specific business venue in Kragujevac in exchange for a debt the minor owed him for drugs he had allegedly bought.
The minor, according to prosecutors, agreed, because he had no money to repay the debt. The deal, according to the indictment, included:
- cancellation of a debt of 800 euros
- payment of a further 200 euros upon completion of the offense
- supply of the hand grenade by the inciter
Two days later, on April 11 at around 2:45 a.m., the minor approached the designated venue in Kragujevac, released the safety pin on the M 75 hand grenade and threw it at the facade of the building.
Legal classification
The indictment charges him with the offense of causing public danger under Article 278 of the Criminal Code, committed through incitement, concurrent with the offense of unlawful manufacture, possession, carrying and trade of weapons and explosive material under Article 348 of the Criminal Code.
The offense under Article 278 of the Criminal Code, when the danger is caused by explosive material, is punishable by 6 months to 5 years’ imprisonment, and where large-scale damage results, the prescribed sentence is 2 to 12 years.
The explosion caused material damage to the building’s facade. According to informal accounts, there were no injured persons, which was one of the circumstances that influenced the initial classification of the offense.
What comes next in court
The prosecutor’s office moved to extend detention for the suspect. Under standard procedure, the next step is scheduling the date of the first main hearing before a panel of the Belgrade Higher Court.
The suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court decision. Proceedings against the minor are being conducted under the Law on Juvenile Offenders and Criminal Law Protection of Minors.
Will the court hand down the maximum sentence prescribed for the concurrent offenses?
