Skopje, 20 September 2024 (MIA) - Prime suspect Ljupcho Palevski and four other defendants tried over last year's murder of 14-year-old Vanja Gjorchevska and 74-year-old Panche Zhezhovski pleaded not guilty in the Skopje-based Criminal Court on Friday.

According to the indictment, the defendants planned the abduction of the 14-year-old Vanja in order to force her family to pay ransom. They also abducted Zhezhovski in Veles, with the intention to take his vehicle and use it for Vanja's kidnapping in Skopje.

Earlier this month, the Criminal Court decided to consolidate the proceedings for the defendants in the case, after the Skopje Public Prosecutor’s Office previously filed an indictment against four people in connection with the double murder case, followed by an indictment against the prime suspect Ljupcho Palevski, after he was extradited from Turkey, for double kidnapping and ruthless murder.

The Criminal Court approved the indictments and, at the request of the Prosecution, decided to merge the trials of all defendants, including Palevski, Bore Videvski, Velibor Manev and Vlatko Keshishov, as well as Vanja's father Aleksandar Gjorchevski.

Another person, indicted for aiding and abetting, will be tried in separate proceedings.

Vanja Gjorchevska and Panche Zhezhovski, who were reported missing in late November, were found dead near Skopje and Veles on December 3, 2023.

Photo: MIA