Trial on Haki Rugova fails, case prosecutor, Rugova accused

Haki Rugova is accused of signing a tender worth about 300 thousand euros, which, according to the Prosecution, has been won by the company led by his brother, Gani Rugova, reports “Justice Voting”.

Rugova acting as chairman of the Istog municipality on August 1, 2014, according to the indictment, has signed contracts with the company “Ma-Con” sh.p.k. for building sewers for Cerca and Lubozhdez villages.

However, today's session has failed to be held due to the lack of prosecutor of the case, Ali Uka, defendant Haki Rugova and his defender, lawyer Besnik Berisha.

According to the chairman of the court, Sami Shardaku, prosecutor Uka could not present at today's session as he was engaged at the KKP's Annual Conference.

Lawyer Berisha has announced to the court that for today's session he could not participate because of personal obligations abroad.

Otherwise, the accused Rugova was absent from this session, and even though he was regularly invited, he has not reasoned.

Witnesses at this session were present, Naser Gjocaj, Sylle Maxutaj and Rrustem Gashi, while absent witness Gani Rugova, who had not reasoned.

The next session was scheduled for February 26, 2021, 10:00.

Otherwise, at the initial review hearing held on January 17th 2019, accused Haki Rugova was declared innocent over the corruption charge.

According to the act of Constitutional Prosecutor in Gjakova, founded on March 26, 2018, Haki Rugova is charged with acting as head of the Istog municipality on August 1, 2014, signing contracts with the “company. Ma-Con” sh.p.k. for building sewers for Cerca and Lubozhdez villages.

According to the indictment, at the moment of contract connection for construction work between the Istog municipality and the company “Ma-Con” sh.p.k. The company's director has been Gani Rugova, and the contract price has been 289,119.85 euros. The prosecution's body claims that by these actions, accused Rugova, has enabled his brother, Gani Rugova, financial interest, to accuse him of committing the criminal work of conflict of interest.

Initially this subject was sent to the Constitutional Prosecutor in Pec, she had been delegated to prosecutor Haxhi Sinanaj, respectively. But, the latter, on January 17th 2018, was directed to the head prosecutor of the Constitutional Prosecutorship in Gjakova, Ali Selimaj, and after consulting with Apel's chief prosecutor, Haxhi Derguti, as well as Agim Kurmehaj, the subject has been delegated to the Constitutional Prosecutor in Gjakova.

“The reason for sending this criminal case to the competence of this criminal case for defendant Haki Rugova is the fact that, in the same time that we have long known and are in social reports, so to be a fair and independent investigation, following consultation with Apel's chief prosecutor and the chief prosecutor of the Constitutional Prosecutor in Gjakova, we have agreed to send this criminal case to the authority of the Constitutional Prosecutor at Gjakova”, prosecutor Hadina Sinay wrote.

Hakki Rugova, in the 2017 local elections, had won another mandate, for the third time, at the head of the Istog municipality.