Podgorica, (MINA) – The Podgorica High Court acquitted all the defendants in the “Envelope” affair on Friday, including businessman Dusko Knezevic and former Podgorica Mayor Slavoljub Stijepovic.

The first-instance ruling was delivered by a panel of judges led by Nenad Vujanovic, Vijesti daily reports.

In addition to Knezevic and Stijepovic, Branislav Todorovic, Zivko Sljivancanin, Tamara Krdzic, Goran Grujovic and Tomica Knezevic were acquitted of the charges.

The judge stated there was no evidence against the defendants.

Lawyer Andrijana Razic, one of Knezevic’s defense attorneys, told reporters that the defense is not surprised by the acquittal, and that they expected it.

In December 2019, the Special State Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment against Knezevic, accusing him of organizing a criminal group that allegedly laundered money.

A few months earlier, in January 2019, Knezevic released a video showing him handing an envelope to Stijepovic before the 2016 election, explaining that it contained EUR 97.500 intended to finance the election campaign of the Democratic Party of Socialists.