Aleksić's trial continued: Witnesses examined

At today's trial, four witnesses who attended Aleksić's acting school were questioned.

Witness Bojana Z. stated that she stands by her testimony from the prosecution and added that she went to acting lessons with Aleksić from 1988 to 1991, that is, from the age of 14 to 17.

Answering questions from Aleksić's defense attorney, the witness said that the accused made inappropriate comments and that the girls often dropped out of school. She claims that the incident with Aleksić happened to her a few weeks before the university entrance exam and added that she did not drop out of school so that she would not have to explain the reason to her parents.

The next witness, Marija Dj. said that she was at school when M.Dj. was injured. She came out of Aleksić's office "disheveled and flushed", as well as that the reason for her previous visit to his office was to practice her monologue for the entrance exam. The witness also stated that she reported Aleksić to the police for sexual harassment.

Tara Dj. said in the courtroom that her group was prepared for the reception by Aleksić's wife, and that according to her knowledge, M.Dj. she was the only one from her group who had prepared for the entrance exam. As she stated, she together with Marija Dj. contacted Iva Ilinčić, after seeing that M.Dj. in 2016, left Aleksić's office upset.

When asked by Aleksić's defense attorney why she did not drop out of acting school after learning about the incidents, Tara Dj. said that she could not tell her parents what was happening because she did not get the consent of the girls who were abused, and that such behavior by Aleksić was understood as a "pedagogical measure".

Tara Dj. emphasized that the girls felt liberated after they stopped attending Aleksić's school. Witness Matija I. otherwise a close friend of the victim I.V. stated that she had private preparations for the entrance exam with Alekić in his office. He explained that I.V. said that Aleksić sexually abused her, suggested that everyone stop going to classes.

The next trial is scheduled for January 24, when witnesses have been called. At the end of the trial, Jugoslav Tintor, the representative of the injured parties, expressed his satisfaction that the court prevented the abuse of procedural rights, that is, rejected numerous questions from Aleksić's defense counsel, which are already answered in the investigation.

Tintor, on the other hand, stated that the court should find a way to prevent the postponement of the trial due to Aleksić's departure for chemotherapy.

"We need to find a way to try the defendant in his presence while respecting his health condition, which is impaired, but does not prevent him from following the course of the trial and understanding what he is being tried for," concluded Tintor.

At one of the previous trials, the judge read the expert's report and opinion stating that Aleksić is capable of following the trial on the days he does not receive chemotherapy, which is why his defense attorney complained and claimed that the expert's examination was done inadequately.

Aleksić was charged with four criminal offenses of rape, two of which were extended in duration, and five criminal offenses of sexual harassment, two of which were also qualified in extended duration.

He was the first to be reported for sexual abuse by actress Milena Radulović, and soon Iva Ilinčić and other girls joined the accusations against him.

He was arrested on January 16, 2021 and was in custody until September 10, which was then replaced by house arrest with electronic monitoring, after which his house arrest was lifted on March 10.