Senjak: Vukovic and Stankovic Present Defense Statements
Second and third suspects Mario Stankovic and Danka Vukovic questioned at Belgrade's Higher Public Prosecutor's Office. Both deny involvement in the killing, while she admits paying for her husband's escape.
- Second suspect Mario Stankovic and third suspect Danka Vukovic were questioned at Belgrade's Higher Public Prosecutor's Office.
- Both deny involvement in the killing at Senjak, but she admits paying 10,000 euros for her husband's escape.
- The main suspect, Sasa Vukovic Boske, earlier admitted firing the shots, claiming self-defense.
- All three remain in detention, and the murder took place on May 12 at restaurant "27".
Second suspect Mario Stankovic and third suspect Danka Vukovic were questioned at the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade. Both presented defense statements in connection with the murder of Aleksandar Nesovic, known as Baja, according to the prosecution. The hearing followed the earlier testimony given by the main suspect.
Stankovic is charged with being a co-perpetrator in a murder carried out in an insidious manner. According to prosecutors, he brought a pistol to the restaurant and handed it to the main suspect. He denied this account during questioning. He claims he was not in the restaurant at the moment of the shooting, but had gone home and then returned. He says he took no part in the act itself.
Danka Vukovic, the second suspect’s wife, is charged with aiding the crime. According to the indictment, she allegedly removed a pistol from a stash and handed it over. She rejected that claim. She stated that she was at home with the children that evening and had no contact with the weapon. What she did admit is that she gave 10,000 euros for her husband’s escape, money that investigators say was later found during one of the arrests.
What do the suspects claim in their defense?
The defense lines of the three suspects differ. The main suspect, Sasa Vukovic Boske, who was questioned earlier, admitted firing the shots but claims it was self-defense. His hearing lasted nearly twelve hours. Stankovic and Vukovic, on the other hand, deny any involvement in the murder, reducing their role to a level that excludes direct execution.
The difference between admitting the act and denying a role will be central to the proceedings ahead. Prosecutors are building a theory of organized action by several people, while the defense seeks to separate each suspect from the key moment, the shooting itself. The guilt of none of them has been established by a final court ruling.
The third suspect’s lawyer stated that his client cried repeatedly during the proceedings, as she has been separated from her minor children. That detail does not change the legal substance of the charge, but it points to the circumstances under which the defense is being presented. For now, all three remain in detention.
How did the Senjak case unfold?
The murder of Aleksandar Nesovic, known as Baja, took place on May 12 at restaurant “27” in Senjak. The location, in a quiet part of Belgrade, drew immediate attention from the public and the prosecution. From the outset, the investigation treated the case as a serious criminal offense involving several participants.
Arrests followed in the weeks afterward, and the suspects were brought in one by one for questioning. Prosecutors formed a theory in which the main suspect fires, the second suspect provides the weapon, and the third suspect assists. Each of them, through their defense, challenges that construction in a different way.
The case is at a stage where statements are being gathered and compared. Further forensic analysis and assessment of evidence will show to what extent the defenses can hold. Until then, the presumption of innocence applies, and the court will be the one to rule.
Does admitting to the shooting while claiming self-defense change the weight of the charges for the other suspects in this case?
