Rucol forced Lushtak's witness to make a statement

Witness intimidation is a special chapter in the giant indictment of prosecutor Romulo Matthews in the case where 24 persons are being charged in connection with Sami's escape

Matthews claims that Sami Lushtaku, Rukoli Rrustem, Rexhep Jota and Fatmir Mijak have prevented the tried and frightened during the criminal procedure.

Rrustem Rukoli, Rexhep Jota of Fatmir Mojak, is accused of having a plan in co-operation in June 2013, aimed at having witness C be persuaded to change the declaration.

“Plan was to issue a false statement on the criminal case P. 938/13 promising him a reward of 40 thousand euros and a flat, and also a payment for the recovery of his sick wife in exchange for withdrawing his statement”, the indictment said.

The same, according to the indictment, in the preliminary procedure when she was interviewed, had proved great to the accused Sahit Jashar, Sami Lushtaku of Sabi Geci.

Prosecutor EULEX cites the fact that despite the fact that several measures were taken during the trial course by the Court such as using nicknames for several witnesses, giving testimony via video-link, hiding personal data and covering or preserving their identity, yet witness C insisted that he give his statement in open judgment, personally present.

Prosecutor Matthews describes in an indictment how the witness's statement in the preliminary procedure C changed radically from that given in judicial examination.

“Since the beginning of his appearance at the Court, he showed a hostile attitude towards the justice system, it was evident that he had a tendency to sabotage the meeting with his statement in preliminary procedure. He completely rejected his claims given to the prosecutor in the preliminary phase”, describing Matthews bringing witness C to the trial of the case “Drenica”.

Witness C in the trial gave testimony on December 5th and December 11, 2014, while in his testimony he denied having met Ivan Bulatovici, denied being in Licoc, and also because he knew Sahit Yashari, much less beaten or arrested by him.

Also, prosecutor Matthews shows that witness C said he had never been beaten with baseball bats and that his statement given in preliminary procedure, though carrying his signature- was forged.

However, the prosecutor in the indictment mentions that once the witness C finished the testimony three days later he was tapped in a telephone conversation that occurred on December 14, 2014.

I ended up with that thing, and the caller calls back to him, and I know you did well, I heard you said good words too... but we'll talk when we see each other, says the indictment.

The prosecution claims witness C came into play immediately after the arrest of the accused on 31 May 2013, and witness C was initially approached by Rexhep Jota offering him money, protection, medical treatment for witness C's sick wife, and an apartment.

The prosecution claims that all these gifts and payments were made with the involvement of Rrustem Rukoli, Fatmir Mojak and Rexhepita.

“These persons prompted the witness C to issue a press release, in which he denied having issued a statement against the indictees of the case “Drenica1””, said in the indictment.

Prosecutor Matthews claims that besides this witness C was forced to do something else.

At the end of 2013, witness C was forced by Rrustem Rukoli to register a CD in which the witness said that if anything happened to him, EULEX must be held accountable”, the prosecutor Matthews' indictment said.

The prosecutor claims witness C met personally with Rukoli, who advised him what to say at the Court.

The prosecutor claims that as a result of this witness, C accepted 30,000 euros for the purpose of dealing with his wife in Belgrade.

Using the volumeous indictment, prosecutor Magues also claims that a few days before C testified at the Court, he was offered a job at the mail office, while in February 2015, after giving false testimony, Rexhep Jotta had offered the keys to the apartment.

The prosecutor claims that a few days before March 30, 2015, when witness C announced to the accused that he would tell everything on the EULEX, he had been visited and asked to return the keys to his apartment and was told there would be no support and that work would not be fixed.

The prosecutor also mentions that as a result of the deceased under threat, witness C has made a letter on May 18, 2015, where he has expressed his concern because it was the “threatened to death by Sami Lushtaku and Sahit Yashari”.

The prosecution's indictment included the positions of indictees given in the preliminary procedure.

Rrustem Rukoli, in the statement issued on September 14, 2016, has said that he was the co-ordinator of Sami Lushtak's defence.

I followed all the sessions, except one. Witness C was not witness against Sami Lushtak”, described Rucol's statement in the indictment.

Rukoli has said in preliminary procedure that he has assumed the role of co-ordinator because of his linguistic skills and the need for co-ordination with international lawyers.

Rukoli in the indictment is described as serving in the KLA and knowing Sami Lushtaku from childhood.