Lawyer Yll Zekaj reacted today regarding the holding of 35 detainees in the Lipjan Detention Center, in the context of the case related to the Kosovo Insurance Bureau (KIB).
Zekaj stated that during the session for determining security measures against 39 detained persons, which was held on Friday at the Basic Court in Prizren from 16:00 to around 22:30, the Basic Prosecution Office in Prizren requested that 35 of them be ordered to appear at the police station, reports Oath of Justice.
According to him, despite this request, the Court has not ordered the immediate release of these detainees, but has decided to return them to detention, without a special decision, pending the decision on the security measure outside the session. He added that the judge, according to him, had verbally stated that the decision would be made today at around 10:00.
Zekaj emphasized that, according to him, the only legal decision in force was the one for a 48-hour detention, a deadline which expired today at 10:00.
"The only legal decision that exists so far in this case is the 48-hour detention, which expired today at 10:00. Even though the decision has expired for 2 hours, 35 detainees are being held illegally by Lipjan Prison, without any decision," Zekaj wrote in reaction.
He stated that even after the expiration of this deadline, the 35 detainees are being held in the Lipjan Detention Center without any judicial decision, adding that the relevant institution, according to him, is awaiting action from the Basic Court in Prizren.
Zekaj's reaction comes after statements the day before by lawyer Driton Muharremi, who said that, although the Court had accepted the Prosecution's request for alternative measures against the 35 defendants, they were sent and held in the Lipjan Detention Center.
"Oath for Justice" reported today that the Basic Prosecution Office in Prizren has submitted a request for the imposition of pre-trial detention against the former director of the Kosovo Insurance Bureau (BKS), Sami Mazreku, and the former director of the Department of Finance and Accounting, Valon Berisha, as well as Florent Sylejman and Yll Çollaku. While against 35 others it has requested the measure of reporting to the Police.
Mazreku and Berisha, along with other suspects, were arrested on the morning of January 8 in an operation by the Prizren Basic Prosecution Office led by Chief Prosecutor Petrit Kryeziu. The damage is alleged to be over 1 million euros.
The Kosovo Insurance Bureau (KIB) had announced that the case being handled by the Basic Prosecution Office in Prizren was initiated by the KIB itself in its capacity as the injured party.
The former Director of Finance at the Kosovo Insurance Bureau, Valon Berisha, is suspected of having illegally benefited from money from citizens who had been reimbursed on behalf of insurance in the amount of tens of thousands of euros.
According to the Prosecution's request provided by "Oath for Justice", among the main suspects are Sami Mazreku and Valon Berisha, who during the period July 22, 2022 - October 9, 2023, in management positions at BKS, are suspected of having carried out a series of unauthorized banking transactions, causing significant material damage. The suspected transactions include the amount of 4,641 euros to over 8,500 euros for alleged compensation for damages from traffic accidents for persons who had previously received compensation, thus causing direct damage to BKS.
The Chief Prosecutor of the Basic Prosecution Office in Prizren, Petrit Kryeziu, has announced that 39 people have been arrested in the action for abuses at the Kosovo Insurance Bureau (BKS).
He stated in a press conference that the damage is estimated to be 1 million and 43 thousand euros, while adding that the targets of the investigation were also the former director of BKS, Sami Mazreku, and the former director of Finance, Valon Berisha, who are also among those arrested, reports "Betimi për Drejtësi".
