They took bribes in exchange for social housing/ SPAK sends 8 defendants to trial

2024-12-31 10:10:00, Aktualitet CNA

They took bribes in exchange for social housing/ SPAK sends 8 defendants to

The Special Prosecutor's Office against Corruption and Organized Crime completed the investigations and sent the criminal proceedings with No. 11 of 2023, in charge of 8 defendants:

Gëzim Sylaj, accused of consuming the elements of criminal offences:

I. "The exercise of illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", carried out in cooperation with the defendants Vasil Karasaliu, Viola Mema, Behare Luzi and Enxhi Çelaj (in the episode of the Undercover Agent), provided for by articles 245/1 paragraph the fourth and 25 of the Criminal Code;

II. "Exercising illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", carried out in cooperation with the defendants Viola Mema, Behare Luzi and Enxhi Çelaj (in the episode of subjects Gazmend Panxha and Shyqyri Dema), provided for by articles 245/1, fourth paragraph and 25 of the Criminal Code;

III. "Exercising illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", to the detriment of the subject Sokol Sylaj, provided by article 245/1, fourth paragraph of the Criminal Code.

IV. "Production and possession of hunting and sporting weapons without a permit", provided for by Article 280 of the Criminal Code.

Vasil Karasaliu, accused of consuming elements of criminal offenses:

I. "The exercise of illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", carried out in collaboration with the defendants Gezim Sylaj, Viola Mema, Behare Luzi and Enxhi Çelaj, (in the episode of the Undercover Agent), provided for by articles 245/1 the fourth paragraph and 25 of the Criminal Code.

3. Viola Mema, accused of consuming elements of criminal offenses:

I. "The exercise of illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", carried out in cooperation with the defendants Gezim Sylaj, Vsail Karasaliu, Behare Luzi and Enxhi Çelaj (in the episode of the Undercover Agent), provided for by articles 245/1 paragraph the fourth and 25 of the Criminal Code;

II. "Exercising illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", carried out in cooperation with the defendants Gezim Sylaj, Behare Luzi and Enxhi Çelaj, (in the episode of subjects Gazmend Panxha and Shyqyri Dema), provided for by articles 245/1 paragraph of fourth and 25 of the Criminal Code.

Behare Luzi, accused of consuming elements of criminal offenses:

i. "Exercising illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", carried out in collaboration with the defendants Gezim Sylaj, Vsail Karasaliu, Viola Mema and Enxhi Çelaj (in the episode of the Undercover Agent), provided by articles 245/1, fourth paragraph and 25 of the Criminal Code;

II. "Exercising illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", carried out in cooperation with the defendants Gezim Sylaj, Viola Mema and Enxhi Çelaj, (in the episode of subjects Gazmend Panxha and Shyqyri Dema), provided for by articles 245/1 paragraph of fourth and 25 of the Criminal Code.

Enxhi Çelaj, accused of consuming elements of criminal offenses:

I. "The exercise of illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", carried out in cooperation with the defendants Gezim Sylaj, Vsail Karasaliu, Viola Mema and Behare Luzi, (in the episode of the Agent under cover), provided by articles 245/1 the fourth and 25th paragraphs of the Criminal Code;

II. "The exercise of illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", carried out in cooperation with the defendants Gezim Sylaj, Viola Mema and Behare Luzi (in the episode of subjects Gazmend Panxha and Shyqyri Dema), provided for by articles 245/1, fourth paragraph and 25 of the Criminal Code.

6. While the other 3 (three) defendants Gazmend Panxha, Shyqyri Dema and Sokol Sylaj, accused of consuming the elements of the criminal offense:

I. "Exercising illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", provided by article 245/1 paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code.

According to the acts administered for this criminal proceeding, among other things, the preliminary information filed by the editors of the investigative show "Fiks Fare" on the national television "Top Channel", we were informed that an associate of this show during the month of January 2023, was able to have several meetings with the defendant Vasil Karasaliu (employee at Water and Sewerage in Durrës), who promised him the benefit of social housing in the area of ??Spitalla Durrës, against the payment of a reward of 15,000 euros.

From the entirety of the investigative actions carried out, it has resulted and proven that the defendants Gezim Sylaj, Vasil Karasliu, Viola Mema, Behare Luzi and Enxhi Çelaj had set up the scheme of illegal benefits, presenting themselves as employees with management functions in the state administration, who had decision-making opportunities in the granting of social housing located in the area of ??Spitalla, Durrës, to interested persons, against monetary amounts, which according to them would they served to block the apartment by giving "coffees" to third parties.

Persons interested in social housing, in addition to the preliminary payment of the monetary amount, would continue to submit to the defendants the documentation for the continuation of the standard procedure of benefiting from the social housing. Then, according to them, interested persons would be sent a confirmation SMS from the Durrës Municipality, a period when, according to them, the winners would be announced and they would move into the apartment after a few months. After this moment, the beneficiary of the social housing was forced to pay a minimum rent for several years, the amount of which would be assessed based on the area per m2 that he would benefit from.

The defendants in cooperation with each other, between the dates 01.02.2023-01.03.2023 have requested and received irregular benefits respectively in 4 episodes, from several subjects (the agent under cover, as well as three other subjects), the monetary amount that range from 5,000 to 10,000 euros, to whom they have ensured the ability to exert illegal influence on performance of duty by persons exercising public functions to enable the benefit of social housing in Durrës.

Whereas, the other defendants, Gazmend Panxha, Shyqyri Dema and Tahir Sylaj, are proven to have promised and given directly to the defendants respectively; Gezim Sylaj, Vasil Karasliu, Viola Mema, Behare Luzi and Enxhi Çelaj, monetary sums (in the amount of over 50,000 ALL), who have promised or assured them that they are able to exert illegal influence in the performance of their duties and obtaining of decisions by persons exercising public functions, to obtain social housing.

Given the situation when the defendants Gazmend Panxha, Shyqyri Dema and Tahir Sylaj, have not previously concluded a cooperation agreement, the performance of the above actions, charges them with criminal responsibility regarding the promise and direct delivery of monetary amounts in the amount of over ALL 50,000, to the defendants Gezim Sylaj, Vasil Karasliu, Viola Mema, Behare Luzi and Enxhi Çelaj, in exchange for obtaining social housing by consuming elements of the criminal offense "Exercising illegal influence on persons exercising public functions, provided by article 245/1 paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code./ CNA