9 hours agoLekaj after Apel's decision: Court sentence damaged me in elections, proved innocent in retrial
Periskopi(a year ago)
(a year ago)Former Minister Paul Lekaj has welcomed the decision of the Court of Appeals, which today turned the case against him into retrial for “the misuse of the official task” over the case known as “53 million”, while saying he strongly believes in his innocence. In a statement to Reporter, Lekaj has said that the decision [...]
In a statement to Reporter, Lekaj has said the Pristina Foundation Court ruling, which had sentenced him to three years and eight months in prison, was scandalous and has damaged him in the election.
Lekaj has said this is the first time he has managed to secure votes to become an MP.
The first degree punishment was scandalous and personally damaged, professionally, familiarly and politically. It's the first time that, even though we still don't have the Certificate of results from the CEC, I haven't achieved the votes to become an MP. However, I firmly believe in my innocence, and I am convinced that this will be confirmed by court”, Lekaj said.
Lekaj has said he does not believe that publishing the post-election decision may have been backlined, but says that if anything else happened would be a dangerous precedent for democracy.
I don't believe in this hypothesis because I believe in power independence. However, if that happened, it would be a dangerous precedent for domestic democracy”, Lekaj added.
He has expressed confidence that in the retrial he will be declared innocent.
I believe in the justice of the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo. This decision has been pending for almost six months and I firmly believe in my innocence. As I have said several times, along with my defense, attorney Artan Kerin, the first degree decision was scandalous”, Lekaj said.
In the end, he has thanked lawyer Artan Qerhim for his work and engagement.
Even Qerkey made a motion for Reporter, has described this decision as fair as expressing confidence that in the retrial Lekaj will be declared innocent.
“Yes, it's back in the retrial, we just realized that. I consider the Court of Appeals' decision fair because complaints have been consistent in the wrong and incomplete proof of the actual situation, the wrong implementation of the law, and also procedural violations, which we believe will be averted in retrial and following a correct procedure where the standard of fair judgment will be respected. Pal Lekaj will be acquitted”, Qerkey said.
According to the indictment filed on 4 February 2022 by the Special Prosecutor of the Republic of Kosovo, Paul Lekaj, in the quality of the Ministry of Infrastructure (MI), Eset Berisha, his top political adviser, Nebis Shatri, as secretary-general in this ministry, in co-operation and deliberately and even with defendant Besim Tahiri, director of Public Procurement in MI, are accused of misusing official office with the case of sharing 53m euros for the consortium <x1Betel &Enka <2>>, for construction of the Pristina highway Hani Elez or otherwise known as the <x> Arferi> X4fer>
On that charge, according to the indictment declared on 31 January 2024 by the Constitutional Court in Pristina, Paul Lekaj had been sentenced to 3 years and 8 months in effective prison. To him, the court also pronounced additional condemnation, a ban on public office in public administration, or on public service during the length of 3 years and 6 months.
Praise Shatri was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison, while Besim Tahir was sentenced to one year and 8 months in prison. They were also pronounced a complete sentence, a ban on public office in public administration, or on the public ministry for two years. While, Eset Berisha was sentenced to 3 years and 3 months in prison.
Likewise, Berisha's subsequent sentence had been issued, either to the ban on public office exercise in public administration or to the public ministry during the duration of three years.
