The trial against Fatmir Sheholli, who is accused of espionage and blackmail, continued on Thursday at the Basic Court in Pristina. Arben Jetullahu, the injured party, testified before the trial panel, stating that he had transferred around €200,000 to the defendant following pressure related to the publication of a video.
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Jetullahu said that while Sheholli was in pretrial detention, the latter had asked him for financial assistance for his family. For this reason, he said, he had sent him €500, reports “Betimi për Drejtësi”.
According to his testimony, Sheholli later sent threatening and blackmailing messages through Jetullahu’s associate, Lorik Retkoceri.
The witness said that following these developments, he began paying Sheholli €1,000 per month. In total, the amount reached €13,000, while Sheholli had presented himself as his employee.
Jetullahu explained that he considered the payments a way to “buy peace”, so that false news about his business would not be published. According to him, these reports had damaged both his personal image and his business activities.
He also said that Sheholli had asked him for a €60,000 loan to buy an apartment. In return, the defendant had promised to repay the amount after selling a commercial property in Podujevë, or to transfer ownership of that property to him.
“He has not fulfilled any obligation toward me… When he sent me the message from pretrial detention, I felt threatened and blackmailed because the message was threatening and blackmailing,” Jetullahu testified.
He said that communication had always taken place through his associate Retkoceri and the defendant’s son. According to him, he had never had direct conversations with Sheholli or his family members.
The witness confirmed that the blackmail was related to a video and that he had been told that, if the requested sums were not paid, the material would be published. He added that he did not know the contents of the video, but believed it concerned something personal.
Jetullahu stated that around €200,000 in total had been transferred to Sheholli’s account. According to him, all payments had been made through the bank, on the basis of oral agreements.
He said that, in his assessment, Sheholli had used the media as a tool for blackmail, but stressed that he had no evidence to support this claim.
At the end of his testimony, Jetullahu stated that he continued to support the criminal prosecution and that he would consult his lawyer regarding compensation for the damage.
