The cooperation of the witness, who has not been named, began last year after police reportedly convinced him his life was in danger, has helped investigators break the case. So far, six men are in custody in connection with the murders, including the alleged ringleader, Sretan “Joca Amsterdam” Jocic.
The extended transcript published by Nacional included an account of the witness’ origins in the Lika region of Croatia, which he had in common with two of those arrested, Robert and Luka Matanic, with whom the witness first engaged in small-scale drugs and weapons deals. It goes on to describe in detail the evolution of the plot against Pukanic and the planning that went into to its execution.
According to the Nacional report, the witness first heard of the plan towards the end of the summer of 2008 at a meeting with Robert Matanic in Zagreb, where Matanic had just returned after release from prison in Bulgaria. Matanic described a job that would allow them to “go into retirement afterwards.” At the time, Matanic first referred to the target as “Puki,” later identifying him as Ivo Pukanic.
The plot began to form during regular meetings the witness attended at Matanic’s apartment at 10 Gomboseva Street over two months leading up to the assassination. Also at the meetings were Matanic’s brother, Luka, Amir Mafalini, Zeljko Milovanovic and Boris Guduric. Police believe Milovanovic and Guduric were later responsible for carrying out the actual attack. All but Guduric are now in custody.
According to the witness, the six kept Pukanic under round-the-clock surveillance in teams of three, monitoring his movements around the city and noting periods at which he was most vulnerable. Milovanovic proposed using an explosive and was responsible for assembling the device. An associate of the witness was enlisted to steal the vehicle to be used to harbor the remote-controlled explosive used.
Throughout the operation, the witness acted as a driver for Matanic and Milovanovic during their surveillance. On the eve of Pukanic’s assassination, the witness had a falling out with Matanic over money in an unrelated manner, and abandoned his involvement, fearing Matanic would cheat him out of his share of the reward.
Funding for the operation was allegedly provided directly by Slobodan Durovic, a close associate of Jocic and who periodically oversaw the meetings at 10 Gomboseva Street. During the meetings, Durovic on at least one occasion openly acknowledged being the source of approximately €15,000 provided to the conspirators during the planning stage to purchase weapons and surveillance equipment.
The witness’ testimony also states that three weeks before Pukanic’s killing, Durovic identified Jocic as the individual who ordered the hit, which was in retaliation for Pukanic’s testimony in Montenegro involving the so-called “tobacco mafia.” Jocic at the time promised €1.5 million for the assassination, with a possible bonus if the killing were carried out “quickly.”
---Michael Mehen
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