Today, 6 October 2016, a mix panel of two international judges and one local at the Basic Court of Ferizaj, presided over by a EULEX Judge, convicted the defendant, M.S. of the offences of Abuse of Official Position, Accepting Bribes, Trading in Influence, Providing Assistance to Perpetrators after the Commission of the Offence and Failure to Report Criminal Offences. The trial panel imposed an aggregate sentence of seven (7) years of imprisonment and disqualified the defendant from holding any Official Position for a period of five years post release. At the time of the offences the defendant was employed by Kosovo Police and held the rank of Lieutenant. In addition the trial panel ordered the defendant to make restitution to the injured parties for money illegally solicited from them.
The trial panel acquitted the defendant, M.S. of one count of Avoiding Mandatory payment of Customs Fees, one count of Providing Assistance to Perpetrators after the Commission of the Offence and one count of Unauthorised Possession of Firearms.
The trial panel acquitted a co-accused, V.T. of the offences of Avoiding Mandatory payment of Customs Fees.
Initially, there were seven defendants in this case. The defendants, B.S., R.A. and B.V. pleaded guilty to offences including Abuse of Official Position, Accepting Bribes, Trading in Influence, Extortion, Causing General Danger and Unauthorised Possession of Firearms. The trial panel imposed custodial and financial penalties. The defendants, S.M. and A.M. absconded and remain at large. The trial panel has issued domestic and international orders for their arrests.
The case was prosecuted by an international prosecutor from the SPRK. All parties have the right to appeal.