Prosecutor of SPAK (Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution), Arben Kraja, asked the Council of Immunity and Mandates on Monday for authorization to arrest former Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
At the meeting of the Council, Kraja said that there are suspicions about Berisha committing the criminal offense of corruption during the time he was prime minister of the country.
“From the investigations, it is estimated that Berisha in his capacity as prime minister in the period from 2005 onwards approved decisions where the husband of his daughter, Jamarbër Malltezi, was a direct beneficiary. Active actions have been taken by Berisha to place state structures at the disposal of Malltezi. Irregular benefits are all monetary benefits received by Jamarbër Malltezi, calculated in the amount of 5 million euros. The benefit can be not only for yourself, but also for other people.
Relying on the law, SPAK has addressed the GJKKO, requesting the measure of compulsion to appear before the judicial police and ban on Berisha leaving the country.
The court accepted the request of the prosecution. The Court of Appeal decided, among other things, to approve the decision of the Court of First Instance. Referring to the minutes kept by the judicial police officer, it appears that Berisha did not implement the Court’s decision to appear twice a month. We estimate that from the conducted investigations there is a reasonable doubt that Berisha has committed the criminal offense of passive corruption. Berisha has repeatedly failed to comply with the Court’s decision to appear before the judicial police officer. We request the granting of authorization for the arrest of MP Sali Berisha, replacing the measure of the obligation to appear before the judicial police officer under arrest with prison/house arrest,” Kraja said.