Denis Ceman and Gazmend Hyseni have pleaded guilty to charges related to corruption and other criminal offenses at Kosovo Telecom, while Trim Musliu, Kreshnik Musliu, Armend Osaj and Fatbardh Abazaj pleaded not guilty.
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They entered their pleas at an initial hearing presided over by Judge Violeta Namani-Hajra, according to “Betimi për Drejtësi”.
Before the pleas were entered, Ceman’s lawyer, Merita Bajraktari, asked the court to accept his guilty plea, stressing that her client had consulted with her beforehand and understood the benefits and consequences of doing so.
Hyseni’s defense lawyer, Arbenita Aliu, made the same request.
Special prosecutor Rafet Halimi supported the guilty pleas and suggested that the court accept them but postpone sentencing until proceedings against the other defendants have concluded, given that Hyseni and Ceman are cooperating witnesses.
Judge Namani-Hajra accepted the guilty pleas, finding that they had been entered after full consultation with defense counsel. She announced that the decision concerning them would be postponed until proceedings against the other defendants have concluded.
The defendants who pleaded not guilty were given 30 days to challenge the evidence and request dismissal of the indictment.
Ceman and Hyseni had pleaded guilty at the initial hearing on November 5, 2024, but the proceedings started over after the presiding judge was replaced.
What does the prosecution’s case file say about Trim Musliu and the others?
According to the indictment filed on June 26, 2024, by the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo (SPRK), the defendants in this case are Trim Musliu, Armend Osaj, Denis Ceman, Kreshnik Musliu, Alban Limani, Fatbardh Ajvazi and Gazmend Hyseni.
The first count of the indictment alleges that Trim Musliu, while serving as marketing director at Kosovo Telecom from January 21 to April 24, 2019, misappropriated company property to obtain unlawful benefits. Specifically, according to the indictment, he signed a contract with “Zone Mobile” for the supply of 239 mobile phones, 153 of which he kept for himself. Of a further delivery of 16 mobile phones, he is suspected of taking another 11, bringing the total value of the misappropriated devices to 164.847 euros and 83 cents.
For these actions, Musliu faces a charge of “Embezzlement in office” under Article 425, paragraph 1, in conjunction with paragraph 3 of the Criminal Code.
The second count alleges that Armend Osaj, while serving as director of Finance and Treasury at Kosovo Telecom from September 3 to 30, 2019, misappropriated company property for unlawful gain. According to the indictment, he signed a contract with “Zone Mobile” for the supply of mobile phones, USB devices and modems worth 207.733 euros and 10 cents. Of the 305 phones received in total, he is suspected of keeping 48, worth 32.692 euros and 32 cents.
For these actions, Osaj faces a charge of “Embezzlement in office” under Article 418, paragraph 1, in conjunction with paragraph 3 of the Criminal Code.
The third count names Trim Musliu, Kreshnik Musliu and Denis Ceman. According to the indictment, they acted together to forge documents between November 1 and December 31, 2020, intending to use them as genuine.
It alleges that after Trim Musliu learned he was under investigation, he asked his brother Kreshnik to create forged documents. According to the prosecution, Kreshnik and Denis traveled to Pejë and Istog, where they approached various businesses using the “Vala” logo and invited them to apply for mobile phones. They are then suspected of stamping the offers with the businesses’ seals and handing them to Trim Musliu.
According to the indictment, they used the same approach with other people, but none of the citizens received mobile phones. Musliu is suspected of submitting the documents bearing the businesses’ seals to Kosovo Telecom and the Kosovo Police to avoid criminal liability.
For these actions, Trim and Kreshnik Musliu and Denis Ceman face charges of “Forgery of documents” under Article 390, paragraph 1, in conjunction with paragraph 3 and Article 31 of the Criminal Code.
The fourth count accuses Armend Osaj of forging documents between November 1 and December 31, 2020, intending to use them as genuine. According to the indictment, after learning he was under investigation for misappropriating 48 mobile phones, he allegedly created documents indicating that individuals had received the devices, in an effort to avoid criminal liability.
For these actions, Osaj faces a charge of “Forgery of documents” under Article 390, paragraph 1, in conjunction with paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code.
The fifth count names Alban Limani and Fatbardh Ajvazi, who, according to the prosecution, presented false information and knowingly breached the terms of a contract between January 21 and March 6, 2019, while serving as owners of “Zone Mobile”, to obtain unlawful financial benefits.
According to the indictment, they supplied Kosovo Telecom with goods that did not meet the contract specifications and delivered phones without proof of their origin. The prosecution alleges that “Zone Mobile” had made no domestic purchases and had not imported goods from other countries, while Kosovo Telecom was deceived into believing that goods worth 229.715 euros and 50 cents had been supplied.
For these actions, Limani and Ajvazi face charges of “Fraud” under Article 335, paragraph 1, in conjunction with paragraph 5 and Article 31 of the Criminal Code.
The sixth count alleges that Limani and Ajvazi, as owner and manager of “Zone Mobile” from September 2 to 18, 2019, knowingly violated public procurement rules when signing a contract to supply mobile phones, USB devices and modems, supplying goods that did not meet the specifications of the contract signed with Kosovo Telecom.
For these actions, they face charges of “Misuse and fraud in public procurement” under Article 415, paragraph 2, in conjunction with paragraph 3 and Article 31 of the Criminal Code.
The seventh count accuses Limani and Ajvazi of presenting false information in April 2021 to deceive Kosovo Telecom in connection with the contract to supply mobile phones, USB devices and modems. According to the indictment, after learning they were under investigation, they worked with Gazmend Hyseni to create forged documents. Hyseni is suspected of issuing fictitious invoices, which Limani and Ajvazi submitted to the Tax Administration of Kosovo (ATK), causing 68.219 euros and 86 cents in losses to the state budget.
For these actions, Limani and Ajvazi face charges of “Tax evasion” under Article 307, paragraph 3, in conjunction with paragraph 1 and Article 31 of the Criminal Code.
Finally, the eighth count alleges that Gazmend Hyseni, as owner of the businesses “Versacoop” and “Kopex”, issued false documents for “Zone Mobile” in April 2021 to obtain unlawful financial benefits, deceiving Kosovo Telecom in connection with the contract to supply mobile phones, USB devices and modems. According to the indictment, Limani and Ajvazi submitted these invoices to the ATK.
For these actions, Hyseni faces a charge of “False documents relating to taxation” under Article 308, paragraphs 2 and 3, in conjunction with paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.
