12.09.2007, Source: Vecernje Novosti
JAGODINA – Criminal police from Jagodina department begun large search for the seventeen years old Mirjana Lazic from Cuprija, who is missing since 9 September.
Silvana Lazic, mother of the missing girl, reported her disappearance on Monday, as Mirjana didn’t come home last night, nor her mobile phone was available.
Mirjana was last seen entering unknown car in Cuprija downtown. As we found out, after a conversation with her girlfriends, police directed investigation toward two older men from Belgrade and Cuprija. Mirjana’s friends told her parents that in the last two weeks she was in telephone contact with a person from Belgrade who claimed to be an employee of “Telenor”. She accidentally called his number, but afterwards they were in daily contacts. The stranger, according her friends, occasionally made payments on her mobile phone so they could be in touch.
Silvana Lazic says that the family suspects Mirjana became a victim of organized human trafficking.
– We came across this idea when her friends told us parts of conversations our daughter had with this person from Belgrade. They say that he asked about her look, if she is attractive or how much she earns. When she said that she ears as much as she needs, he allegedly said that it is nothing as he earns 200 euros a day. We know our child and we know she would never leave home without telling us. She may have been naďve or curious, and so she entered that car, but we can not believe that she voluntarily went with those persons without telling us. All that happened afterwards could only be a case of kidnapping – said the mother of the missing girl.
Leposava Radovanovic, lawyer from Krusevac engaged in this case, said that she will send a letter to the state attorney in whom she will ask that state officials “deal more seriously on this case”. She also said that district attorney in Jagodina wouldn’t accept criminal charges against unknown persons in which is stated suspicion that this is case of human trafficking, but he referred her to municipal court where this criminal act should be considerably reduced – as illegitimate marriage with minor person.
PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE
IN prosecutor’s office we were told that in this case there are insufficient elements for any action to be undertaken, as firstly the police should conduct investigation and inform prosecutor�s office on some conclusions based on which they could act.
Author: D. Vucinic