The investigative file sheds light on the circumstances of the murder of Albanian tourist living in England, Keli Hoxha, an event that occurred on October 28 in Berat.
According to the file, the suspected perpetrator is 63-year-old Kristo Memë, the owner of the horse that was being touched by the tourist and his family.
In his testimony, Memë says he warned Hoxha not to touch the horse, claiming he had been bothered by too many visitors that day. He describes how the situation became tense after a few words were exchanged, saying he acted in “heat of anger.”
"I don't want to justify what I did. But words kill me. When I'm insulted, I get very angry," his testimony in the file states. Memë, who was previously sentenced to 22 years in prison for another murder case, but did not serve it due to the statute of limitations, says he reacted after the words he claims he heard from the tourist.
The file also contains testimonies from the victim's family. Hoxha's wife, Vjollcë Haxhia, says it all started when their daughter saw a tied white horse and approached it. According to her, there was no one around and the daughter expressed regret that the animal was tied.
“The girl and Keli were touching the horse and at that moment the owner came out: he said 'don't touch it, if you touch it you have to pay'. Keli said 'it's okay, we just touched it'. The person got angry and started swearing,” she stated. She adds that later, as they were leaving, the situation escalated and Hoxha was hit. He then asked her to call an ambulance.
Investigations into the case continue, while the police and prosecution are reviewing all evidence and testimony collected to fully elucidate the dynamics of the event, reports tch.
