In the last 6 months, the high official figures that have been arrested following warrants issued by SPAK (the Special Structure Anti-Corruption) are the following: the prosecutor of Vlora, Maksim Sota, the director of the Prosecution of Kukes, Edmond Kariqi, the prosecutor of Saranda, Sali Hasa and the former High Justice of Kruja, Enkelejda Hoxha.

Prosecutor Maksim Sota

On July 16^th 2019, the High Council of the General Prosecution disqualified prosecutor Maksim Sota from the race that was being conducted to appoint the new prosecutors of the structure known as SPAK.

Sota was interviewed by the High Council as a candidate for the new Special Structure Anti-Corruption, but he was disqualified in the first stage of the process.

He began his official duty in the Prosecution of Vlora and was its directors for several years. In addition, he hasn’t gone through the vetting process.

Today, prosecutor Sota has been arrested and the court has given him the security measure “arrest in prison”, because he is being accused of “abusing his power” and is suspected of allegedly being involved in drug trafficking schemes.

Prosecutor Edmond Kariqi

On June 30^th 2021, with the arrest warrant issued by SPAK, the State Police Department detained the director of the Prosecution of Kukes, Edmond Kariqi.

His pending charges are “passive corruption of judges, prosecutors and other judicial functionaries, committed in collaboration”.

Until 2019, Edmond Kariqi served as a prosecutor at the Prosecution of Kavaja and was then appointed in Lushnje, in the position of prosecutor. His last transfer was in the Prosecution of Kukes, where he served as the Chief of the High Council.

Prosecutor Sali Hasa

In the morning of June 19^th 2021, the prosecutor of Saranda, Sali Hasa was put under arrest, under the charges of “passive corruption of judges, prosecutors and other judicial functionaries”. The arrest warrant for Hasa was issued after investigations conducted by the Special Prosecution Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime, in collaboration with the State Police Department. A few days before his arrest, the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) issued the security measure “prison arrest” against the prosecutor of Saranda.

Judge, Enkelejda Hoxha

On February 11^th 2020, the high justice of Kruja, Enkelejda Hoxha was arrested following orders of SPAK, as she was accused of corruption and abuse of power. After her arrest, the Special Appeals Court gave the security measures “prison arrest” on multiple occasions.

It was the High Inspectorate of Justice, which asked for the dismissal of the Judge and on March 17^th, the KLGJ decided to officially discharge the magistrate.

Hoxha is the third magistrate that has been discharged by KLGJ, following a disciplinary probe conducted by ILD. This judge too, didn’t submit to the Vetting process.

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