4 May 2012

Yesterday, a mixed panel of two EULEX judges and one local judge at the District Court of Peja/Peć found the defendants B.K., D.I., H.K., A.N., I.L., H.K., and S.G. guilty of organised crime and kidnapping. Jail sentences totalling eighty-seven years were handed down.

B.K. was convicted to seventeen (17) years of imprisonment and a fine of 200.000 euros; D.I. was convicted to thirteen (13) years of imprisonment and a fine of 180.000 euros; H.K. was convicted to twelve (12) years of imprisonment and a fine of 150.000 euros; A.N. was convicted to fifteen (15) years of imprisonment and a fine of 150.000 euros; H.K. was convicted to ten (10) years and six (6) months of imprisonment and a fine of 150.000 euros; S.G. was convicted to ten (10) years of imprisonment and a fine of 150.000 euros; I.L. was convicted to ten (10) years of imprisonment and a fine of 150.000 euros. The defendants B.K., D.I., H.K. and H.K. were also convicted of illegal possession of weapons.

On 21 September 2010, the defendants, acting as an organised criminal group, kidnapped the businessman, A.M. from Gllareva village in Klina Municipality. He was held hostage for forty days and a ransom demand of three million euros was issued. The case was prosecuted by a local prosecutor from Kosovo’s Special Prosecution Office.

The parties can appeal within fifteen days from the date they are served with the judgement.

The enacting clause can be downloaded here.