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At today’s trial in the “Jovanjica” case, Predrag Koluvija, accused of growing 1.6 tons of marijuana, reiterated that he only grew plants allowed on his property. Only after his arrest, he claims, did the police grow plants on his property that had a higher percentage of the psychoactive substance THC than allowed, to accommodate allegations that he made drugs. He said that, as a believer, he forgave the policemen who tended him, but also noted that he was disappointed in the media outlets that published falsehoods about him – that he was a Montenegrin and a state drug dealer.
Writes: Stevan Dojčinović, Sara Smolović
At yesterday’s trial, Koluvija theorized that American industrial hemp producers conspired against him, because he was one of the people who opposed their plans to take over the European market, and that his arrest was a blow to the security of Serbia.
He said in court today that the trial against him was rigged and accused the police officers of “tampering with evidence.”
He claimed that the drug found on his property, that is, the plants that had a psychoactive substance THC higher than allowed, was not his. Coluvia explained that he grew organic vegetables and industrial crops, which are legal and for which he had permits, and that the police sold his plants after he was arrested.
“They got along well there,” Coluvia said, stating that an industrial hemp flower can be sold for 10 to 20 euros.
After his arrest, the police continued to grow crops on his property for the next four months “to obtain plants with THC above the allowed level” and for which he is now on trial. This can be seen, he explained, by the amount of electricity that was consumed on “Jovanjica’s” property after his arrest, which is necessary for the care of the plants.
Industrial and Indian hemp
Industrial hemp and hemp (better known as marijuana in the speech) are plants in the same family, and the key that distinguishes them is the amount of THC they contain, an ingredient that can affect the consciousness of users. Marijuana contains a higher amount of THC, which is why it is classified as a drug. These two plants can also look different: industrial hemp is taller and grows up to four meters, its leaves are long and thin, while marijuana is short, a shrubby plant, and its leaves are thicker. Under Serbian law, it is allowed to grow industrial hemp that does not contain more than 0.3 percent THC.
“That’s why they covered up electricity consumption,” said Coluvia. “They (the police) produced (marijuana) without any problem, so now we would look like criminals.”
He went on to speak about why he believes the plant’s expertise was tampered with, calling the police and prosecutors “manipulators and scammers.”
“We have a case where the three samples from a plant have a different percentage of THC; it would be like cutting off all three of my fingers now and each one had a different DNA.”
He also complained that the police included branches and leaves in the seized plants, although only the flower is used. “650 kilos? They are just leaves, twigs and that small part of the leaves that we saved for the production of tea.”
“As I was looking at that quasi-evidence, I have to say how disappointed and scared I am when they left evidence in their evidence that they did everything (…). I’m just afraid of what they did before that,” Coluvia said. .
However, as a Christian, he decided to forgive the police for these traps.
“I only recognize Jesus Christ as my emperor,” Coluvia said. “I am a Christian, I forgive everyone, I am not angry with anyone, I am not angry, but it is obvious that they rushed. (…) I have a harder time, the members of my people do this for me here, but I still love them. “
He noted that he was disappointed in the media.
“Most of them told falsehoods. How did my grandmother feel before she died when she heard so much nonsense about me: that I was Montenegrin, that I received a million euros from the state (() They wrote that I was a state drug trafficker”.
“Politics will not move into this courtroom”
In yesterday’s trial, Koluvija named several politicians and public figures: Nebojsa Stefanovic, Andrej Vucic, Zvonko Veselinovic, Zoran Babic, Aleksandar Vulin, about whom you can read in a special news item.
Today, he again mentioned politicians in his defense, but the judge cut him off.
“Predrage, please don’t do it. Politics will not enter this courtroom while I am here,” the judge said after Koluvija began attacking opposition politician Miroslav Aleksić, who was the first to reveal the case. “Jovanjica “to the public.
Aleksic: The police are being demonized and Koluvija is glorifying
Aleksic tells KRIK that the essence of this case is the amount of drugs found in “Jovanjica”. “The evidence from the prosecution is so strong that it is really shameful that the police are practically demonized in the front pages,” says Predrag Koluvija. That shows that the state has a lot to do with what happened there and that now the police and the prosecutor are being pressured, “Aleksić said. He emphasized that one of Koluvija’s lawyers is SNS deputy Vladimir Đukanović, who he also represents Andrej Vučić in a separate proceeding against Aleksić, precisely because of the accusations against “Jovanjica”.
Coluvia also complained that she was not allowed to defend herself properly. “I accessed the files after all the appeal deadlines expired.”
Prosecutor Drecun reacted to this and pointed out that it was not true.
“We heard attacks against those who were conducting the investigation,” Drecun said. “The prosecution gave the first defendant a copy of the file, so that he would have time to prepare his defense.”
The prosecutor also revealed today that one of the accused Koluvia associates was convicted in Hungary in 2013 for attempting to smuggle a type of “skunk” marijuana into that country.
After presenting his defense, Koluvija refused to respond to prosecutor Drecun’s questions.
Scholar
After Koluvija, the defense was presented by Vladan Živojinović, who worked as an agronomist.
“I did not commit any crime, I am not a member of any criminal group […] I have never produced drugs, “Zivojinovic said.
He explained what kind of vegetables were grown and how within the company “Jovanjica”.
“I spent most of that 2018 in the field and it was extremely difficult. Then I jokingly told Predrag Koluvija that ‘how much did I spend that year on potato production, so that I could get a PhD on it.’ Then Predrag Koluvija suggested that Enroll me in doctoral studies that would give me a “Jovanjica” scholarship, Živojinović said, adding that he did.
He said that “Jovanjica” started growing industrial hemp in 2019, but could not elaborate because today’s trial ended.
He will continue to present his defense at the end of January next year, when the trial is due to continue.
Read more about Coluvia here
