Former Deputy UKP Chief Released to Defend Himself

A former deputy chief of Serbia’s Criminal Police Directorate has been released to defend himself from freedom. The decision came after his arrest over suspicion that he used his position to help remove evidence about a shooting at a restaurant on Autokomanda. The case is being handled by the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade. In line with the practice of not naming suspects before a final verdict, he is identified only by his initials in the documents.

The suspect is accused of using his official position to influence the removal of evidence linking another person to the shooting. The aim of that action, according to the prosecution, was to prevent the prosecution of the suspect for that offence. This is a serious accusation against a former senior figure in the criminal police, but guilt has not yet been established in a final ruling.

What happened at Autokomanda

The shooting took place in November 2025, at a venue described as a steak and wine bar on Autokomanda. According to the investigation, the incident occurred in the presence of guests, which made the whole case more serious from the standpoint of public safety. A shooting in a public space, where people unconnected to the conflict are present, is treated more strictly precisely because of the risk to bystanders.

The initial event was followed by an investigation, and then by suspicion that some evidence was later removed. It is at that point that the role of the former deputy UKP chief comes in. Prosecutors suspect that, using his position, he helped move traces linked to the shooting suspect out of the investigation’s reach. That, according to the suspicion, made it harder to establish responsibility for the original offence.

The arrest was carried out by the body that handles corruption, which indicates that the case is being treated as an abuse of public office, not merely as ordinary obstruction of an investigation. The Anti-Corruption Unit of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade is responsible for cases in which holders of public authority are suspected of using their position for unlawful acts.

Why it matters who guards the evidence

A case in which a police official is suspected of helping to remove evidence raises questions about trust in the institutions meant to pursue offenders. When suspicion falls on someone who was supposed to protect evidence as part of his duty, the weight of the accusation takes on a broader dimension than a single incident. The suspicion is that the investigative mechanism was used from the inside to thwart prosecution.

Being released to defend himself from freedom does not mean the proceedings are halted, nor that innocence has been established. It is a procedural decision taken when it is assessed that the suspect will not obstruct the investigation, influence witnesses or flee. The proceedings continue, and the prosecution retains the option to gather further evidence and take steps provided for by law.

The next phase will depend on what the investigation establishes about the chain of evidence removal and about who took part in it. Until a final verdict, the suspect is considered innocent, and the burden of proof rests with the prosecution. In your view, how much do cases like this, inside the police apparatus itself, affect citizens’ trust in the work of institutions?