The trial of a Stojanche Jovanovski accused of leading his wife Ivana and 6-year-old daughter to their deaths on March 2 following years of domestic violence begins Monday at the Skopje Criminal Court. Jovanovski has been charged with three criminal offenses – aggravated assault under Article 130, paragraph 2 in conjunction with paragraph 1 and in conjunction with Article 45, i.e. aggravated assault committed as a continuation of domestic violence, endangering safety under Article 144, paragraph 3 in conjunction with paragraph 2 and paragraph 1, as well as the criminal offense of aiding and abetting suicide under Article 128, paragraph 4 of the Criminal Code.
From the very beginning to the end of the prosecutor’s opening remarks in the courtroom, Jovanovski smirked and shook his head in disbelief, and in the part where the prosecutor said how death occurred due to the interruption of brain and other vital functions in Ivana and Katja after the deadly fall in front of the high-rise building, he leaned on the bench, covering his face.
In her opening remarks, the prosecutor cited the most vulgar words and the most terrible threats to life that Jovanovski addressed to Ivana while he assaulted her, and she lost consciousness, the media reported.
The suspect increasingly beat and belittled the victim in their home in the presence of their minor daughter, in public places, and in front of other witnesses, threatening to kick her out of the home where they lived, and to take their minor daughter away from her.
When on the critical day the woman was again exposed to his psychological and physical abuse in multiple locations, as well as his threats and insults, she returned to the apartment with the child. She asked to go up to the apartment alone with her daughter to pack and leave, but the defendant insisted on going up with her, where he continued to threaten her. The witness to the incident, Martin Sazdov, pushed the defendant away and together they got off in front of the building to wait for the injured party to pack.
However, the abuse led the victim to a state of severe psychological distress, fear, hopelessness and a sense of helplessness, and without being able to reasonably manage and control her actions, she committed suicide by jumping from the terrace of her sixth-floor apartment together with their minor child.
“I understand the first two offenses, but not the third. I completely disagree,” said Jovanovski. During his testimony, the suspect broke down in tears, claiming that he had not been interrogated and that he was being unfairly accused.
