Milovanovic was sentenced as the main perpetrator of the murders. The police identified him as the person who left a moped bearing an explosive device next to Pukanic’s car. Milovanovic activated the explosive remotely. Bojan Guduric served as backup, and was supposed to shoot Pukanic should the car bomb fail to kill the journalist.
Robert Matanic was convicted of organizing a group to commit the murders, while Luka Matanic and Amir Mafalani were charged as aides in the murders.
Slobodan Djurovic was sentenced for his role as a liaison between the murderers and Sreten Jocic. Jocic, a Netherlands-based Serbia criminal nicknamed “Joca Amsterdam,” is on trial in Belgrade for commissioning Pukanic’s murder. He allegedly paid the killers close to US$2 million. Milovanovic and Milenko Kuzmanovic are also on trial in Belgrade in connection to these murders.
The Supreme Court held a session at the beginning of February to review the appeals to the sentences of the six defendants. Both the prosecution and the defense appealed the previous sentences in November 2010.
During the first trial, the motive for the murder was not established, nor was the person who commissioned the murders. Further, the court did not accept the charges of organized crime against the defendants, prompting the prosecution to appeal the sentence.
