Koci: Several Kosovo police officers are mentioned as witnesses by Serbia in the Arbnor Spahiu case

Koci: Several Kosovo police officers are mentioned as witnesses by Serbia in the Arbnor Spahiu case

Former member of the Kosovo Police Special Operations Unit, Arbnor Spahiu, is suspected by Serbian authorities of “grave murder in Banjska” – where a group of armed Serbs attacked the Kosovo Police in September 2023, killing Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku – said the lawyer hired by Spahiu’s family, Arianit Koci, in an interview with Radio Free Europe.

He added that several Kosovo police officers are mentioned as witnesses in the case of Spahiu, specifically accused of killing three Serbian attackers who clashed with the Kosovo Police in a village located in the northern part of Kosovo.

Koci said that the defense has already submitted an appeal against the decision for one-month detention.

Spahiu was stopped on June 7 at the Hungary-Serbia border crossing while traveling with his family from Germany to Kosovo. According to Koci, this was the first time Spahiu had crossed through Serbia.

Spahiu is currently being held in the detention center in Subotica, and “is well and has been seen by a doctor.”

Koci has been in Serbia this week, but has not met Spahiu. He said that, so far, Spahiu has only been visited by the Serbian lawyer, appointed ex officio, as well as by his uncle, but there has been no communication with other family members.

According to Koci, the criminal complaint against Spahiu was filed by the Serbian Intelligence and Security Agency (BIA), according to which the former Kosovo police officer was “a sniper in this operation.”

“He never touched the sniper with his hand, and he was very young in the Special Unit, and after a short time he left the Police and went to Germany,” Koci told REL.

His departure from the Police in 2022 had previously been confirmed to REL by the Kosovo Police.

According to Koci, the criminal complaint against Spahiu is brief and unfounded.

He added that they expect the appeal filed as a defense, in cooperation with the Serbian lawyer, appointed ex officio, to be approved. Koci said that “this has only political connotations.”

“The names of five or six people are mentioned, who at this stage are considered witnesses – they are all former colleagues of Arbnor in the Police, who are in Kosovo,” said Koci.

According to him, if Serbia says that “Kosovo Police killed three Serbs and all police officers will be prosecuted, then why is there another criminal proceeding for [Milan] Radoicic in Serbia?”

Under Serbian law, “aggravated murder” is punishable by a minimum sentence of ten years in prison, or life imprisonment.

Kosovo has accused Serbia of the attack in Banjska – where, according to Serbian authorities, Spahiu’s involvement is also suspected – but the latter has denied any responsibility.

Responsibility for the attack was claimed by Milan Radoićić, former vice-president of the Serbian List in Kosovo, who is believed to be in Serbia.

This week, the trial of three of the 45 defendants for terrorism, terrorist financing and serious criminal offenses in the Banjska case continues at the Basic Court in Pristina.

The High Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade is also conducting an investigation into this attack.

Kosovo institutions have called on all its citizens and those living in the diaspora to avoid passing through Serbia when traveling to Kosovo.

Meanwhile, in a reaction on Facebook, the acting Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said that “Serbia’s abnormal behavior towards the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo should not and will not be accepted as normal.”