The Sand Explosion Trial Testifies Police Commander

Latifaj allegedly helped in various forms more than six companies dealing with sand exploration.

At today's session, which was chaired by the composite Aziz Shaqiri chief and Ramiz Azazi and Venhar Salihu members, gave his testimony to Nazif Hajrizi, commander of the police station in Kamenica, KALLXO.com reports.

Witness Hajriz indicated that in 2013-2014, as commander of the Kamenica police station, they had observed that in the villages of Laqiq and Dsyvojca, but also in other parts of the municipality, there was an illegal activity of extenuating gravel and sand from several operators, contrary to the government's decision.

By taking certain actions to prevent and stop this explosion, and to implement this decision of the Government that was binding, Hajriz indicated how they had seen gravel tubes classified in separatization along the riverbed, as well as large holes, and environmental degradation in these villages as a result of the blasting of gravel, Kalxo.com reports.

The Witness further showed why he had been out on the ground to see whether the Government's decision to stop the explosion of sand around the rivers was being applied.

I've come out just to see that institutions aren't taking action in implementing the Government's decision, and the blasting of gravel didn't stop and I've seen that something's wrong and I've decided to go out on the ground. Also, as the additional reasons I have been on the ground is the concern of the community where you live in that territory. In Laiqiqi's Dsyvojca, they have complained that the road is being damaged by this activity,” said witness Hajrizi.

He further indicated that during the time the trucks of economic operators carrying gravel were stopped, he was not sure whether the accused Rafik Latifaj was present at all cases, but he said that he was sure his presence was during 2013-2014, when even drivers of such trucks have offered the unique customs document (DUD), reports www.kallxo.com.

In the question of the defendant's defense, Refik Latifaj, lawyer Avdi Dinaj, you know anything incriminating about his defense, the witness stated that everything I'm aware of, I said in this trial.

The Witness further showed how in the terrain where large quantities of sand have been detonated, those holes have not been covered, and for the sake of security, police had taken operational action, surrounding them with official strips aimed at protecting citizens, because those holes are deep, and there has been an initiative to make a project to ward off risks from these ruins.

When asked by the chairman of the court Aziz Shaqiri that you have seen and read the Government's decision to stop the explosion of sand, the witness indicated that the government's decision that had read it and from its interior, but also from the official meetings that they had had with the Independent Commission's inspectors for Minera and Minerals and other municipal activists, is said to have been banned from the outbreak of sand and gravel in the entire territory of Kosovo for the time period, and does not know exactly when it entered into power and when it expired.

According to the indictment, represented by State Prosecutor Isuf Sadiku, Rafik Latifaj is accused of having in the 2013-2014 period, the quality of Kamenica's Municipal Inspectorate has consistently misused official duty by assisting in various forms over 6 companies dealing with the explosion of sand and gravel.

The Actakuz explains that this assistance has been made by providing instructions for illegal sand and gravel explosives and by instructing companies to provide with extinguishable customs documents as the cover of their activities.

The next session is scheduled to be held on December 18, 2018.