On Saturday morning, PDIU deputy Aqif Rakipi killed a pedestrian, 53-year-old Sait Sorra, who tried to cross a section of highway between Tirana and Vora, after which he left the scene without offering help to the victim.
He later handed himself in at a police station. Rakipi will not be detained while the investigation is ongoing. Several media report that Rakipi took an alcohol test which resulted negative, but that the considerable damage on his car shows that he drove well above the speed limit. Leaving the scene of an accident itself is also a criminal offense.
In a response to News24, Rakipi stated:
The victim passed in a fraction of a second. I have nothing to clarify because I made no attempt to use my position as deputy to hide the truth of this accident which was seen by at least two or more people that crossed then road without thinkin about the risk that crossing it in such a careless way brings. The police and prosecution have there the proofs on video and all other proofs. I am not the type to hide the truth. In this case it is as I am saying and as I have declared and confirmed to competent authorities. Everything else is malicious speculation against my public figure and name.
Rakipi is one of the deputies who was under investigation by the General Prosecution in the context of the decriminalization law. He was suspected to have lied about his criminal past. Even though the General Prosecution asked the Central Election Commission (KQZ) to revoke his mandate, the KQZ refused to do so.
Rakipi was recently reelected as PDIU deputy in Elbasan.
