Prescription order issued to KEC representative in trial against former LDK and other indictees

“For the witness, CEC representative Burim Ahmeti, who has accepted the invitation for the second time and has not responded, the court brings a decision for the upcoming session to issue the Kosovo Police's ordinance for forced conduct”, said the case judge, Musa Kondzhel.

In this case, Shkumbin Gashi and Syle Balaj are accused of misusing votes in early parliamentary elections for the Kosovo Assembly held on February 14th 2021, reports “Battle for Justice”.

Similarly, at Tuesday's session the expert testimony from the Kosovo Agency for Forenzice (AKF), Burim Shala, who had begun the testimony at the April 24, 2024 session.

Responding to special prosecutor Ilir Morina's questions, the expert said that he has so far worked 600 cases of photo expertise and that he presented two or three experts before the court so far.

Experts in the concrete case, Shala said it was made via the “programme. Selebrate” and that photo dates are both on February 23, 2020 and 17:49.

Also, expert Shala explained that no matter how many times photos are carried from one phone to the next, through an agency's equipment, the precise date of the shoot is preserved, which he considers to be the two photos taken on February 23, 2020.

He said that based on his experience as an expert, he did not face cases of changing the date of the shooting before it was sent to someone.

In this session, regarding the presentation of questions by prosecutor Morina, there was Balaj's protector, lawyer Xhafer Tahiri, saying that expert Shala is not a language expert to explain to us the notion of shooting photography.

Then, in the absence of CEC representative, witness Ahmeti, the session has been interrupted. To him, the Court issued an ordinance for forced conduct.

At the February 2nd, 2024 session following the defendant's proposal, the court had narrowed down the criminal procedure to him after it was a different criminal act.

On January 31, 2023, the plea agreement was approved, where accused Milot Balakaj was sentenced to 20 months in prison on bail.

Former LDK President Shkumbin Gashi, Kastriot Blakaj, Dardan Blakaj, Tahir Shala and Syla. Balaj, at the March 17th 2023 session, had been declared innocent in connection with the allegations of misuse of votes in the February 14th 2021 elections.

Indictee Dardan Blakaj, at the April 24th 2023 session following the approval of the plea agreement, was sentenced to a unique sentence of 11 months in prison on bail, on charges of misuse of votes in the February 14th 2021 elections.

While, at the May 29th session 2023 following the approval of the court's plea agreement, Tahir Shala was sentenced to a unique prison sentence of 20 months on bail for misusing votes.

However, at the May 29th session 2023 following the approval of the plea agreement by the Constitutional Court in Pristina, accused Kastriot Blakaj has been sentenced to a unique sentence in length of 24 months in prison on bail.

On August 8th 2023, the accused Shpettim Shala had reached agreement to plead guilty with the case being sentenced to 11 months in prison on bail.

The act against Shumbin Gashi, Kastriot Blajaj, Saving Shala, Tahir Shala, Milot Blajaj, Dardan Blaj, Sylla Balaj and Gevukaj were established on December 29th 2022 by the Special Prosecutor of the Republic of Kosovo.

In the indictment, Gashi as the LDK MP's candidate, in association with Kastriot, Dardan and Milot Blakaj, Shala and Balaj had voted in the name of Kosovo citizens living in Austria, so these actions are accused of committing criminal work:“due to the right of voting” and “Identification and equipment of access”.

And the other indictee Genevukaj reportedly caused fear through the canal to Agim Abdel, so he is tasked for the criminal work “Canning”.