Senjak Case: Prosecutors Name Roles of 11 Suspects in Restoran 27 Killing
Belgrade's Higher Public Prosecutor's Office has disclosed the roles of all eleven suspects detained in the Restoran 27 murder probe, including a former Belgrade police chief.
The Belgrade Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office disclosed on 27 May the roles of all eleven suspects in the investigation into the killing of Aleksandar Nesovic Baja at Restoran 27 on Senjak on 12 May.
The eleven detained include:
- former Belgrade Police Directorate chief Veselin Milic
- two officers from Milic’s security detail
- restaurant owner Nenad Lukic
- a restaurant waiter
- the gunman Sasa Vukovic, known as Boske
- five further individuals accused of assisting the perpetrators or concealing evidence
Prosecutors also confirmed that Lukic has retained the lawyer Dragan Palibrk.
According to the prosecutors’ statement, Nesovic came to Restoran 27 on 12 May at Milic’s invitation. Milic organised the meeting to “reconcile” Nesovic and Vukovic after earlier clashes in the criminal milieu.
Milic, according to the statement, suggested Nesovic come without his own security. An argument then broke out. Vukovic drew a pistol and fired several shots that killed Nesovic on the spot.
A woman who brought the pistol to Vukovic before Nesovic’s arrival was also present during the shooting, according to the same statement.
What prosecutors say about individual roles
Two of the three officers from Milic’s security detail, along with Vukovic, moved the body from the restaurant. It was dumped near the motorway at Simanovci, where it was set on fire.
Milic and one officer stayed at the restaurant to remove traces and CCTV footage. The waiter, according to the investigation, helped remove linens and ancillary items.
Restaurant owner Nenad Lukic is charged with failure to report a criminal offence and its perpetrator. Prosecutors say he was aware of the shooting at his establishment.
Former chief Milic faces two charges: failure to report a criminal offence and aiding the perpetrator after the act. According to fresh information, prosecutors proposed in an internal note on 26 May to expand the charge to complicity in murder.
If the new classification is accepted, the legal detention period will be significantly extended. The final decision will follow the hearing of the remaining suspects.
What follows in the procedural track
Lukic has retained Dragan Palibrk, one of Serbia’s leading criminal defence lawyers, according to Republika portal. Palibrk told Politika on 27 May:
Lukic’s role is strictly secondary. The client was not in the lounge at the moment of the shooting and had no prior knowledge of how the meeting was being arranged.
Prosecutors say CCTV footage confirms Lukic’s presence immediately before and after the shooting.
President Aleksandar Vucic denied on 26 May that his brother Andrej Vucic owns the restaurant. In his statement, the owner is one of the detained suspects, not the president’s brother.
Vucic also accused convicted criminal Milos Medenica of spreading false claims about his brother’s ownership. Democratic Party leader Zoran Lutovac told N1 on 27 May that a full register of all visits to Restoran 27 over the past twelve months should be published.
Detention, next deadline, political demands
All suspects have been remanded for 30 days. The deadline expires on 11 June, when prosecutors will decide on extending custody or filing an indictment.
The Republic Public Prosecutor’s Office announced special supervision over the proceedings, citing case complexity and media interest. The Interior Ministry issued no further statement. Minister Ivica Dacic remains in office despite opposition calls for his resignation.
From the opposition, Freedom and Justice Party leader Pavle Grbovic demanded an urgent session of the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee. The agenda would cover MUP leadership conduct over the past year, particularly Milic’s earlier reinstatement as head of the Belgrade Police Directorate.
No urgent session of the committee has been scheduled by the time of this report.
The next procedural milestone is 11 June. Prosecutors plan to hear the remaining restaurant witnesses, who were not among the suspects at the time of the shooting, before that date.
Will prosecutors expand the charge to complicity in murder by 11 June?
