A police officer testified before the Basic Court in Prishtina that one of the defendants in the terrorist attack on the Ibër-Lepenc canal initially identified himself as “Zoran” before authorities established that his true identity was Jovan Vićentijević.
Police officer Astrit Hama, appearing as a prosecution witness, described the circumstances surrounding Vićentijević’s arrest on December 1, 2024.
Responding to questions from Special Prosecutor Besim Kodraliu, Hama said that while patrolling near the Jesenovik substation in Jabuka—three days after the explosion at the Ibër-Lepenc canal—his unit stopped a vehicle with Serbian license plates carrying three individuals.
According to Hama, two passengers presented valid Serbian identification documents, while the third had no identification and claimed his name was “Zoran.”
“When I shone my flashlight, I noticed he was wearing a brown military-style uniform and military boots. I asked him to step out of the vehicle and empty his pockets. He had two smartphones and a Land Rover phone, which I found unusual. He also had an envelope containing 2,000 Serbian dinars and introduced himself as Zoran,” Hama testified.
The officer said the suspect remained calm throughout the encounter. Due to the suspicious circumstances, police requested additional assistance and escorted him to the police station in Zubin Potok, where his identity was later confirmed as Jovan Vićentijević.
When asked by Prosecutor Kodraliu whether the suspect had stated that he was unemployed but received a salary from Serbia, Hama confirmed the claim.
Defense lawyers representing the three defendants did not question the witness.
The court scheduled the next hearings for September 29 and October 19 at 9:30 a.m.
According to the indictment filed by the Special Prosecution, on November 29, 2024, in the village of Varage, Municipality of Zubin Potok, Vićentijević, together with several unidentified accomplices, allegedly placed approximately 20 kilograms of TNT explosives inside the Ibër-Lepenc canal. Prosecutors accuse the group of carrying out a terrorist attack that severely damaged the canal’s infrastructure, disrupted drinking water supplies, endangered electricity production, and caused damages estimated at €376,774.70.
