Skopje, 18 October 2024 (MIA) - The trial against five men charged with the murder of the teenager Vanja Gjorchevska and Panche Zhezhovski, a man in his 70s from Veles, resumes Friday at the Skopje Criminal Court with the prosecution presenting evidence.

In a hearing earlier this week, a former assistant police chief from Skopje and a former police chief from Veles were called to testify about the investigation into the disappearance and murder of Vanja and Panche.

The defendants Ljupcho Palevski, Bore Videvski, Velibor Manev and Vlatko Keshishov as well as Vanja’s father, Aleksandar Gjorchevski pleaded not guilty during the first hearing. 

According to the indictment, they are suspected of planning the kidnapping of the 14-year-old teenage girl in order to coerce a family member to pay a ransom. On November 22, 2023, four defendants kidnapped Panche in Veles in order to coerce him to give them his car before using it to kidnap the teenager in Skopje. 

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.

MIA file photo