Lazović: I never used an armoured vehicle, nor did I own a Toyota Land Cruiser

I have never owned a Toyota Land Cruiser, nor have I ever used one. I have never used an armoured vehicle, either for official duties or for private purposes. Dozens of witnesses can confirm that. I first heard about this vehicle during the investigation. I did not even join the criminal prosecution against the individuals whom the prosecution claims were plotting my assassination, let alone drive an armoured vehicle - former Assistant Director of the Police Administration Zoran Lazović told the High Court today, whom the Special State Prosecutor's Office has charged, among other things, with allegedly giving the vehicle to Radoje Zvicer, one of the alleged leaders of the Kavač organised crime group.

Lazović made the statement after traffic expert Goran Čarapić testified before a panel chaired by Judge Veljko Radovanović. The expert had been tasked with determining the characteristics of a Toyota vehicle based on photographs. However, he stated that neither the insurance policy nor the customs declaration contained any indication that the vehicle was armoured.

The Special State Prosecutor's Office, represented in this case by prosecutor Miloš Šoškić, has charged the former assistant police director, among other things, that he allegedly formed a criminal organisation whose members included suspended prosecutor Saša Čađenović and former Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoje Katnić, claiming they used their official positions to benefit the Kavač criminal clan. All three defendants have denied the allegations.

Responding to questions from one of Lazović's defence lawyers, Stefan Jovanović, expert witness Čarapić said that he had not physically inspected any of the vehicles.

He also explained that he could not determine whether the vehicle's licence plates had been changed.

- I cannot know whether those licence plates belonged to that vehicle - Čarapić said.

Although the expert stated that, based on the J200 designation, he believed the vehicle was armoured, defence lawyer Nikola Martinović pointed out that Toyota vehicles bearing the same designation are also manufactured in non-armoured versions.

- I examined the insurance policy, but it does not state that the vehicle is armoured. The customs declaration also contains no indication that it is an armoured vehicle - Čarapić said in response to Martinović's question.

Lawyer Jovanović said the defence had no objections to the expert's report and findings.

- The case file contains documentary evidence identifying the owner of the vehicle, and it is certainly not our client, Zoran Lazović. The defence merely wanted to demonstrate the absurdity of this evidence, including this expert report, which is based solely on photographs provided by the Special State Prosecutor's Office - Jovanović said.

As the lawyer noted, the expert did not even have access to the vehicle's chassis (VIN).

Although the defence did not challenge the report itself, Jovanović pointed to what he described as contradictions in the expert's conclusion that the vehicle was armoured.

- The expert report does not concern our client and does not support the prosecution's allegations against him - Jovanović said.