Sarajevo prosecutors have requested 30 days' detention for a suspect in the Friday murder of two police officers in Sarajevo’s Alipasino Polje neighbourhood, the Canton Sarajevo Prosecutor Office spokesperson told N1 on Tuesday.

The suspect’s lawyer, Tatjana Savic, confirmed to N1 that her client’s name was Srecko Trifkovic.

“The Canton Sarajevo Prosecutor’s Office has requested that the Canton Court in Sarajevo order a suspect who has been linked to the murder and grave theft be put in detention for one month,” spokesperson Azra Bavcic said, adding that the measure was requested because of the possibility that the suspect may influence witnesses, hide evidence and repeat the crime if not detained.

Police officers Davor Vujinovic and Adis Sehovic were gunned down early on Friday as they were approaching the scene of what seemed like a vehicle theft in progress. Sarajevo’s citizens gathered on Monday evening to pay their respects to the officers.

Trifkovic was arrested in 2011 in a crackdown on vehicle theft. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year and eight months in prison.

He was again arrested in another crackdown in March this year. He was placed in a 30 days detention for vehicle theft but was then released, pending trial.

Trifkovic and 23 other suspects in that police operation faced the judge in August this year, but the date of the start of the trial remains unknown.

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