Court sentences witness Blerim Potera for changing statements in the trial against the former mayor of Klina, Sokol Bashota – Latest News

The Basic Court in Peja, Klina branch, has announced a guilty verdict against the witness Blerim Potera due to the criminal offense of false declaration, after he had pleaded guilty to the crime in question.

This was confirmed by the prosecutor of the case, Ersan Qavolli, during his closing statement in the trial of non-declaration of assets against the defendants Sokol Bashota and Enver Berisha, who submitted the verdict as evidence to the court.

The court sentenced Potera to a fine of 500 euros and 3 months imprisonment, where with his consent it was changed to a fine of 300 euros, where with the application of the provisions of the unique sentence he was sentenced to a fine of 800 euros.

Otherwise, “Oath of Justice”, on January 25, 2021 reported that an indictment was filed against witness Blerim Potera by prosecutor Qavolli who represents the criminal case against defendants Bashota and Berisha.

Blerim Potera is being accused of making a false statement, as he, as a witness, has changed the statements given in the trial against the former mayor of Klina, Sokol Bashota.

Following the investigation, the prosecutor in the case filed an indictment against Potera for the criminal offense of false declaration.

Such a thing for the “Oath of Justice”, has been confirmed by the prosecutor of the case, Ersan Qavolli.

Otherwise, in the session of January 20, 2021 in the trial against the former mayor of Klina, Sokol Bashota, Blerim Potera was invited as a witness who after confronting with his statements given to the police, in yesterday’s session declared differently from his statements given to the police.

Potera stated in the last hearing that he had not sold the BMW X5 car to the defendant Bashota, but had given him the authorization to use it and sell it.

Such a statement, the witness Potera gave in Wednesday’s session in the Basic Court in Peja-Klina branch, where the former mayor of Klina Sokol Bashota and its former deputy chairman Enver Berisha are being accused of not declaring property.

However, such a statement, according to the prosecutor of the case Ersan Qavolli, turns out to be contrary to his statement given to the police in 2016.

Prosecutor Qavolli explained before the court that the witness had stated to the police that he had sold the car to Sokol Bashota.

The prosecutor said that the witness had said that Sokol Bashota had given him the car payments in two installments but not the last 30 thousand euros.

“The witness to the police said that I sold the car to the accused Sokol on the date I bought it, but I still kept it in my name until the payment was made, it was a period of two or three days, I am talking about the payment for the jeep , the full amount of 65 thousand euros and Sokoli gave me 20 thousand and the rest we agreed that he would give me within a certain period of time, then he gave me 15 thousand, but never gave me another 30 thousand “, The Prosecutor quoted the words that Potera had said to the Police.

For this statement, the witness said that it was not true and that the truth was that he had not sold the car to Bashota except that he had given him permission to sell and use it.

Otherwise, Bashota is accused that from 2012 to 2015, he had not declared the apartment 79 square meters in Pristina, cars “Jeep” and “BMW X5” worth 65 thousand euros, as well as rent for the apartment in the amount of 3000 euros per year.

Otherwise, on November 6, 2019, the Court of Appeals overturned the judgment of the Basic Court in Peja, by which the former mayor of Klina, Sokol Bashota was sentenced to six months probation and a fine of 1000 euros for non-declaration or false declaration of assets. .

In addition to Bashota, the former deputy mayor of Klina, Enver Berisha, was sentenced to six months probation and a fine of 1000 euros for non-declaration of assets.

The Court of Appeals has considered that the judgment announced by the presiding judge Sylë Lokaj, was taken in essential violation of the provisions of the criminal procedure, which have affected the erroneous and incomplete determination of the factual situation.

For this, the second instance annulled the Basic Judgment and returned the case for retrial.

Whereas, the Court of Appeals on May 30, 2018, deciding according to the appeals, upheld the decision of the Basic Court in Peja, which on April 19 of that year, had rejected as unfounded the requests for dismissal of the indictment, in the case of the former mayor of Klina, Sokol Bashota, as well as the other accused Esat Raci, Enver Berisha and Fadil Gashi, accused of abusing their official position.

The Prosecution charges the former mayor of Klina, Sokol Bashota, and the former deputy mayor of Klina, Enver Berisha, with the criminal offense of “non-reporting or false reporting of property, income, gifts, other material benefits or financial obligations.” . The Prosecution accuses the defendants that in the period January 2009 to June 2016, they did not include data or information when they submitted their property declarations to the Anti-Corruption Agency. / Oath of Justice