Trial Reopened Over Triple Murder in Gllogjan, Koci Reveals Additional Evidence

The Basic Court in Peja has decided to reopen the judicial review of Halil, Kastriot and Kreshnik Mehmetaj, who are accused of the triple murder that took place in Gllogjan in 2021.

The decision was made at Friday’s hearing, although the verdict had been scheduled to be announced that day.

Arianit Koci, the lawyer for the injured family, said that the final decision had been expected today, but the court decided to reopen the process in order to examine additional evidence.

Koci: I believe the decision will be made after the next hearing

“Today we expected the decision. Nevertheless, the court assessed that one more piece of evidence must be verified, and therefore it has reopened the trial. Until now, the presiding judge has handled the proceedings very well. I, as the representative of the injured family, am satisfied and I believe that after the next hearing the decision will be made and the accused persons will be convicted,” Koci said.

Asked by reporters whether he had information about the evidence that led to the reopening of the review, Koci said it was a video.

Koci: New video reopens judicial review

“The court justified its decision today. It concerns a video and the prosecutor’s closing statement. In any case, we will review it and this process will also be concluded,” Koci said.

According to the prosecution’s indictment, the three defendants are suspected of organizing and carrying out the attack together, with revenge as the motive.

The indictment states that the target of the attack was the bus driver, the late Gani Gjokaj. The prosecution claims that the Mehmetaj family considered him responsible for the suicide of their daughter, Heroina Mehmetaj, and that this was the reason for the crime.

The case file describes that Halil Mehmetaj had vowed revenge against Gjokaj and that, during his daughter’s funeral, he had placed his wristwatch in her coffin.

According to the charges, before the incident the defendants had observed the area where the attack took place, choosing a location far from houses and without security cameras. The prosecution claims that they had ambushed the bus operating on the Gjakova-Gllogjan route, and that three people were killed in the attack.

The prosecution alleges that Kastriot Mehmetaj, armed with an AK-47 automatic rifle, had gone on foot to the scene. When the bus approached, he stepped into the middle of the road pretending to be drunk, with the aim of making the driver slow down or stop. According to the indictment, after the bus reduced speed, he fired at driver Gani Gjokaj, killing him, while two 17-year-old students, L.H. and G.M., were also killed in the shooting, and F.T. was seriously injured.

Furthermore, the indictment says that after the attack Kastriot Mehmetaj fled toward the village of Shaptej, where Kreshnik Mehmetaj was waiting for him in a car. The prosecution claims that, after they returned home, the weapon used in the crime was destroyed.

Halil Mehmetaj is also accused of having, from June 14, 2020 until November 26, 2021, incited Kastriot and Kreshnik Mehmetaj to kill Gani Gjokaj by continuously blaming him for the suicide of his daughter, Heroina Mehmetaj.