Court accepts Haxhi Dërguti’s and Sali Dakaj’s guilty plea agreements; Dakaj seeks return of €150,000

The Basic Court in Pristina has approved the guilty plea agreements reached by former Chief Prosecutor of the Appeals Prosecution Office Haxhi Dërguti and Sali Dakaj with the Special Prosecution Office of the Republic of Kosovo. The case concerns the criminal offenses of “exercising influence” and “failure to report criminal offenses or their perpetrators.”

Hasan Morina and Liridon Fandaj are also charged in the same case, but the proceedings against them have been separated.

According to the indictment, Dakaj gave Morina €150,000 to influence Judge Latif Xhemaili’s decision in an enforcement case. The meeting and agreement between them were coordinated by Fandaj, according to the prosecution. The indictment says Dërguti knew about all the actions but did not report the case, Betimi për Drejtësi reports.

At Wednesday’s hearing, special prosecutor Valdet Gashi said the agreement with Dërguti was reached on October 29, 2025, and the one with Dakaj on December 19, 2025. He said the applicable legal provisions had been followed in both cases.

Dakaj’s lawyer, Bajram Morina, supported the agreement. Dakaj confirmed it but asked for the return of the €150,000 that, he said, the defendants Morina and Fandaj had taken.

Dërguti’s defense lawyer, Ramë Gashi, and Dërguti also confirmed the guilty plea agreement.

Judge Lutfi Shala explained to Dakaj that the agreement was between Dakaj and the Prosecution Office, not the other individuals. The court then decided to accept the agreement reached by the parties.

Prosecutor Gashi said Dakaj’s agreement provides for one year in prison and a €5,000 fine for “exercising influence.” The prison sentence will not be served during a two-year probationary period, provided he commits no further criminal offense.

Dërguti’s agreement likewise provides for one year in prison, provided he commits no further criminal offense during a two-year probationary period. Both defendants and their lawyers confirmed the proposed sentences.

Shala announced that the decision would be delivered on Monday.

At the start of the hearing, the judge had explained that the proceedings against Dakaj and Dërguti had been separated from those against Hasan Morina and Liridon Fondaj because the first two had previously reached guilty plea agreements. He also said Morina’s defense lawyer had informed the court that she could not attend the initial hearing because of another criminal case involving “murder.”

The hearing scheduled for October 7, 2026, had been canceled because of defendant Fandaj’s health.

The Special Prosecution Office of the Republic of Kosovo (SPRK) filed the indictment on November 3, 2025, against former Chief Prosecutor of the Appeals Prosecution Office Haxhi Dërguti, as well as Hasan Morina, Liridon Fandaj and Sali Dakaj, for the criminal offenses of “exercising influence” and “failure to report criminal offenses or their perpetrators.”