One month in detention for the two suspects in the case of the imam’s murder in Zlipotok, Dragash

The Basic Court in Prizren, through its Serious Crimes Department, has ordered one month of detention for two defendants in the case of the murder of the imam in the village of Zlipotok in the Municipality of Dragash.

According to the press release, the measure was imposed on defendant B.H., on grounded suspicion that he committed the criminal offense of Aggravated Murder (depriving another person of life in a cruel or deceitful manner) under the Criminal Code, as well as on defendant I.H., on grounded suspicion that he committed the criminal offense of Failure to Provide Assistance (where the criminal offense resulted in the death of the endangered person) in connection with paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.

The court assessed that the legal conditions for ordering detention exist and that the evidence secured at this stage gives rise to grounded suspicion that B.H., on 29.06.2026, at around 23:00, in the village of Zlipotok, Municipality of Dragash, intentionally deprived the now deceased G.T. of his life.

The statement says that, according to the investigation so far, the case is suspected to have occurred after a previous dispute between the defendant and the victim over the use of a property, specifically a meadow. According to the same source, B.H. is suspected of having inflicted injuries on the victim with a sharp instrument, a knife, and as a result G.T. died at the scene.

Regarding the other defendant, I.H., who is B.H.’s father, the statement emphasizes that he is suspected of not taking the necessary actions to provide assistance to the victim, who was in direct danger to life, even though he was near the place where the incident occurred and had the opportunity to help without endangering himself or others.

The court also said that if these facts are proven, they will be examined in the further stages of the criminal proceedings. The pre-trial judge, relying on the material evidence collected so far and considering the suspicion that the defendants committed the criminal offenses to be well-founded, assessed that detention is the measure that ensures their presence and enables the normal and unobstructed conduct of the criminal proceedings.

The statement goes on to say that, taking into account the serious nature of the criminal offenses suspected to have been committed, as well as the manner and circumstances of the event, according to which B.H. is suspected of cruelly or deceitfully stabbing the victim, the now deceased G.T., in the back and neck, as well as the fact that he left the scene and was later found and arrested by Police, the Court believes there is a risk of flight and escape with the aim of avoiding criminal responsibility. For this reason, detention at this stage was deemed necessary.

According to the statement, the detention measure was considered reasonable and in accordance with the law, with the aim of ensuring the smooth progress of the investigation, the securing of material evidence, the taking of statements from witnesses and suspects, as well as the appearance of the defendants before justice institutions to clarify the case and prevent their escape. The judge also assessed that other alternative measures would not be sufficient to guarantee the presence of the suspects and the unobstructed conduct of the investigative phase.