31 January 2014

Indictment in Extortion and Trading in Influence case

31 January 2014

Today a EULEX Prosecutor and a State Prosecutor from the Basic Prosecution Office in Pristina filed an indictment against two Kosovo citizens.

The defendants are charged with Extortion in co-perpetration, in violation of Article 267 in conjunction with Article 23 of the former Criminal Code of Kosovo (CCK), currently penalised under Article 340, in conjunction with Article 31 of the CCK; and Trading in influence in co-perpetration in violation of Article 345 in conjunction with Article 23 of the former CCK, currently penalised under Article 431 in conjunction with Article 31 of the CCK.

The accused, between July and September 2012, threatened to kill one individual in order to compel that person to provide 30.000,00 (thirty-thousand) EUR or a vehicle type BMW X5 for the purpose of exerting improper influence over Municipal decision making in order to change the status of a piece of land from "green area" to "construction area".

The investigation against the third suspect was terminated on 14 January 2014.

The case is being prosecuted in a mixed team by an international and local Prosecutor from the Basic Prosecution Office in Pristina.