Skopje, 5 June 2024 (MIA) — Double murder suspect Ljupcho Palevski Palcho denied any connection with the murders of Vanja Gjorchevska and Panche Zhezhovski when questioned about them at the Public Prosecutor's Office, his defense said after the hours-long interrogation on Wednesday. 

Palevski's lawyer, Marjan Vitanovski, said the defense would submit evidence to support his claim of innocence. He alleged that the defendant had "previous enmities" and "political misunderstandings with some government officials."

He said Palevski "completely denies any specific connection with the crime," "denies the existence of any agreement to commit this crime," and "claims that he is not guilty."

"We don't know what evidence the prosecution has, because until this stage of the proceedings we have not had the opportunity to inspect it. For now, we stick to his claim that he is not the perpetrator of the crime at all," Vitanovski said.

Last year, on Dec, 6, Palevski was arrested in Balikesir, Turkey, in an international warrant. He was extradited on May 15 and taken to Shutka prison and taken before a pre-trial judge on May 21.

On May 31, the Skopje Public Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against four people in connection with the murder of 14-year-old Vanja Gjorchevska and 74-year-old Panche Zhezhovski. 

The defendants are charged according to the Criminal Code with accessory to murder, murder, abduction and accessory to abduction. 

"As accessories to crime, together with another suspect for whom the investigation for the said crimes is ongoing, they planned the abduction of the 14-year-old Vanja Gjorchevska in order to force a member of her immediate family to give money for ransom," the Prosecutor's Office said in a press release. 

The girl's father is charged with accessory to abduction, as he had shared information over his daughter's morning routine.  

The public prosecutor also submitted to the Skopje-based Criminal Court a proposal to extend the detention and house arrest measures for the defendants. nn/mr