Reasoned Judgment: Liridona Ademaj’s Murder Was Staged as a Robbery, with Financial Gain as the Aim

Naim Murseli and Granit Plava have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Basic Court in Pristina, while Kushtrim Kokalla was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of Liridona Ademaj. The reasoned judgment states that the crime was planned and staged as a robbery, while its underlying motives were financial gain from a life insurance policy and Murseli’s personal motives.

The guilty verdict against the three defendants was announced on April 21, 2026, when the Basic Court in Pristina found them guilty of murdering Liridona Ademaj. The Court published the reasoned judgment in the case on July 6, 2026.

In the document dated July 6, 2026, the Court found that it had been proven beyond a well-founded doubt that Naim Murseli had planned to remove Liridona from his life because of damaged family and marital relations, resentment and a desire for revenge. After June 25, 2022, when a life insurance policy worth 3,000,000 Swedish kronor was paid in Liridona Ademaj’s name, he had sought not only to kill her but also to obtain financial gain, “Betimi për Drejtësi” reports.

To carry out the plan, Murseli had approached Kushtrim Kokalla and asked him to find a way to kill her. Kokalla initially refused, but later found Granit Plava and put him in contact with Naim Murseli. According to the Court’s findings, the three reached an agreement under which Plava would carry out the murder in exchange for 30,000 euros to be paid by Murseli.

On November 29, 2023, Naim Murseli obtained a “Zastava” firearm, purchased from defendant Tom Dodaj for 280 euros. The weapon was then given to Granit Plava, who used it to murder Liridona Ademaj.

The crime was carried out that same day, between 20:11 and 20:18, at a location agreed upon in advance with Murseli, where the crime was staged as a robbery. The judgment describes how Naim Murseli cunningly grabbed the late Liridona’s left arm with his right hand so that she would be unable to evade the bullet. He then exited the vehicle with the children and left the scene.

The Court concluded beyond a well-founded doubt that Granit Plava acted in accordance with the agreement previously reached with Naim Murseli. On November 29, 2023, between 20:11 and 20:18, on Dalip Alshiqi Street in the Chelsea Point neighborhood of the village of Bërnicë, Municipality of Pristina, Murseli signaled Plava with the lights of his BMW. Plava then stepped in front of the vehicle, wearing a mask over his head and holding a pistol.

At that moment, Murseli stopped the car, switched off the engine and continued holding Liridona by her left arm. In exchange for the promised sum of 30,000 euros, Granit Plava fired one round at close range directly through the partially open window on the passenger side. The bullet struck Liridona in the head, behind her right ear, and she died at the scene from her injuries.

The judgment also found that Plava had possessed the “Zastava” weapon without authorization and in violation of the law, together with 19 rounds of 6 mm ammunition, from around 14:00 on November 29, 2023, until around 16:15 on December 1, 2023. A search of his home in the village of Cërmjan, Municipality of Gjakova, was conducted at that time. According to the indictment, the crime was committed with this weapon, which Naim Murseli had purchased from Tom Dodaj for 280 euros.

Regarding Kushtrim Kokalla’s role, the judgment reiterates that he initially rejected Murseli’s request to find a way to kill Liridona Ademaj. Kokalla later contacted Granit Plava, introduced him to Murseli, and the three agreed that Plava would carry out the killing.

However, the Court found that it had not been proven beyond a well-founded doubt that Kushtrim Kokalla, despite knowing about the criminal offense, had failed to notify the competent authorities about the perpetrators or the murder. The crime was planned with his active participation, together with Naim Murseli and Granit Plava, while the authorities initially investigated the case as a robbery.

In examining the legal elements of the criminal offense, the Court referred to Article 173, paragraph 1, subparagraph 1.3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo concerning the offense of “Aggravated Murder.” This subparagraph stipulates: “Deprives a family member of life.” This form of murder requires the victim to be a member of the perpetrator’s family, a condition met in this case because Naim Murseli and the victim were spouses.

The Court also addressed subparagraph 1.4, which stipulates: “Deprives another person of life in a cruel or deceitful manner.” This wording includes committing murder fraudulently, deceitfully and with malicious intent by exploiting the victim’s particular trust so that the victim can be deprived of life without resistance or with minimal resistance.

Subparagraph 1.6 of the same article stipulates: “Deprives another person of life for the purpose of obtaining financial gain.” This element is considered fulfilled when the perpetrator seeks material gain, is aware that death will be caused and accepts that outcome.

Regarding intent, the judgment states: “In this criminal case, the intent was not only direct, but was also of a very high degree. This is because it was carefully conceived and carefully prepared and, in the end, was completed without any difficulty, leaving a young victim dead at the scene, even before the eyes of her young children.”

The Court also deemed credible the testimony of the injured party and witness L.A., through which, according to the Court, it was proven that Naim Murseli had committed the criminal offense with which he was charged intentionally and with premeditation. The judgment emphasizes that Murseli carried out the deceitful actions without showing compassion or remorse. As an indication of this, it cites the fact that after Liridona Ademaj’s killing, he went to the Swiss Diamond hotel.

In determining the facts of the case, the trial panel also relied on the statement of expert Dr. Naim Uka. This testimony established that, shortly before the murder, Liridona Ademaj had been forcibly and deceitfully held by her left arm so that she could not evade the bullet.

The information report dated December 27, 2023, was also admitted as credible evidence. The document contains statements, various requests, orders, records of interviews with the defendants and witnesses, as well as messages and forensic reports related to this criminal case. The report also includes communications that Naim Murseli sent to Granit Plava through WhatsApp.

A segment in which the firearm being discharged could be heard was isolated from a video/audio recording. According to the Basic Court’s judgment, the recording clearly proves that only one gunshot was heard at the scene, corresponding to the murder of Liridona Ademaj. Murseli also admitted that he had purchased the weapon later used to kill Ademaj.

The decision also refers to a report by the Kosovo Forensic Agency. According to the report, the biological traces found in this criminal case did not match any of the profiles registered in the DNA database, while the perpetrators of the crime were the defendants Naim Murseli, Kushtrim Kokalla and Granit Plava.

The Court deemed the Prosecution’s claims substantiated and valid because they were assessed in accordance with the established facts. The Court found that Naim Murseli and Kushtrim Kokalla had made the agreement and preparations for the criminal offense, while Granit Plava carried out the murder in exchange for the payment promised by Murseli.

By contrast, the arguments of the defendants’ lawyers were assessed as contradictory, unsustainable and incompatible with the material evidence. According to the judgment, they are far removed from legal logic and appear more like attempts to distort the facts than efforts to uncover the truth. The Court found that the material and testimonial evidence directly identified the individual actions of each defendant and proved their guilt for the criminal offenses with which they were charged.

Consequently, the trial panel found that the defendants’ actions contained all the elements of the criminal offenses with which they were charged. They were found criminally liable because no legal basis was identified that would exclude their responsibility for jointly committing these offenses.

According to the indictment, Naim Murseli organized the murder for personal motives, Granit Plava carried out the killing, while Kushtrim Kokalla acted as the intermediary.

The defense disputed the charges, claiming that direct evidence was lacking and requesting that the decision be based solely on concrete evidence. The defendants also denied their involvement in the murder.

In their closing statements, the victim’s family members requested that the maximum sentence be imposed on the defendants.