The High Court in Valjevo acquitted the police officer Katarina Petrović of the charges of divulging secrets from the investigation against Nikola Petrović, the former director of Elektromrež Serbia, and above all the godfather of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić. Was it one judge who rebelled against the untouchability of people from the presidential orbit
The basic news reads: "The High Court in Valjevo today (Thursday) passed a verdict by which Katarina Petrović (police major) acquitted of all charges for abuse of official position". That's what her lawyer Branko Ivković said. He added, however, that the prosecution has eight days to file an appeal against this verdict and that the final decision will be made by the Court of Appeal in Belgrade, which does not instill confidence in many people that the verdict, which encourages civil servants to go public failure of various godfathers, to maintain.
But still, at least for now, one lone judge seems to have sent a message to all the witnesses of various pig farms who remain silent for fear of retribution: rebel, justice is attainable, the judicial system protects the citizens of Serbia!
Policewoman Katarina Petrović from Valjevo was arrested last July for revealing information about Vučić's godfather. Nikola Petrović who in March 2023 in his 300.000 euro Mercedes McLaren car at Topčiderska zvezda mown down one corsa of unknown value and injured two women. The legal and police system wanted to cover up that the presidential best man was under the influence of various substances and alcohol during the accident.
The brave policewoman from Valjevo could not tolerate such injustice, she made the police report public, that is, she sent it to Marinika Tepić, so she was the first detained, then released from custody, but suspended.
"This case can only be solved by public pressure. If we did the school approach, Katarina would rot in prison. As in the case of Aleksandar Obradović - until the citizens supported him, the family did not know anything about him for two weeks", lawyer Ivković told Vremena at the time.
Katarina_protest_CZ_05Protest in front of the Central Prison in Belgrade, July 6, 2023 / Photo: FoNet
He explained that "Katarina's only motive was for the citizens to know the truth", that she is a police officer with a perfect resume, and that it is about "pressure and a message that is being sent, not only to police officers, but also to all citizens of Serbia" pass if if they dare to face the persons who protect their proximity to the government.
And then the message of intimidation broke on a judge of the High Court in Valjevo.
Who is the judge who acquitted Katarina Petrović?
Judge of the High Court in Valjevo Prof. Dr. Dragan Obradović, as "Vreme" learned in Valjevo, is about to retire.
He got his doctorate on "pedestrian crossings", and a few years ago he rehabilitated Nikola Kalebić at the request of his granddaughter Vesna Dragojević with the explanation: "The High Court in Valjevo determines that the decisions of the state commission for determining the war crimes of the occupier and his helpers during the Second World War, as well as the decisions of the National Commission for determining the war crimes of the occupiers and their helpers during the Second World War, as well as the Decision of the District Court in Mionica, dated September 11, 09, which is now dead. Nikola Kalabić's property was confiscated, null and void from the moment of adoption, and that all legal consequences of these decisions are null and void. A rehabilitated person is considered unconvicted".
Dragan Obradović, in his capacity as an investigative judge of the war year 1999, had invited the then US President Bill Clinton, due to the criminal offense of war crimes against the civilian population committed in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, to appear in the District Court on September 20, 1999 at exactly 14 pm Valjevu in room number 14.
Now, in his capacity as a judge of the High Court in Valjevo, he freed the "whistleblower" Katarina Petrović and gave hope to many that there are still judges who judge professionally and responsibly and are not subject to political pressure.
What is Katarina Petrović accused of?
The vice-president of the Freedom and Justice Party, Marinika Tepić, said on that occasion that she was "happy and proud" about the acquittal of the policewoman Katarina Petrović from Valjevo, who was arrested on suspicion of providing her with a report on a traffic accident caused by "under the influence of alcohol and cocaine godfather of the President of Serbia, Nikola Petrović".
"Great news. Although it's a paradox that we live in a country where it's great news when things are done according to the law and in the name of justice," Tepić pointed out in a statement for the "Danas" newspaper portal.
Policewoman Katarina Petrović was suspected of abuse of official position, when she photographed the data from the information system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) about the traffic accident in which Nikola Petrović took part in March 2023 and forwarded it to opposition MP Marinika Tepić.
Tepić then published that information on the X social network and, justifying the policewoman's actions, stated that the document she sent her was "of public interest and the property of the citizens of Serbia."
Policewoman Katarina Petrović was arrested in July 2023 on suspicion of abuse of official position, and released from custody after public reaction.
In front of the Central Prison in Belgrade, at the beginning of July 2023, a protest was held by a group of citizens and representatives of opposition parties in support of female police officers.
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