The Independent Qualification Commission has dismissed Shkodra Appeals Judge Aleks Nikolli, one of the judges who voted in favour of reducing the life sentence of Dritan Dajti who was convicted of killing four police officers.
The decision to dismiss him was taken by Brunilda Bekteshi, Olsi Komici and Lulzim Hamitaj.
During the hearing, the Commission found an issue with his declaration of assets. They concluded that he did not have the financial or legal resources needed to build a villa in Shengjin, Lezha on a plot of land bought in 2001. The construction was completed between 2003 and 2004.
According to documents submitted to the Commission, the value of the construction was around 9.7 million ALL but the judge did not have the ability to save that amount at that time.
Then, in 2012, the judge sold two floors of the villa to his brother for 200,000 ALL and kept another floor for himself. The Commission raised concerns that Nikolli made a fictitious contract with his brother.
Nikolli claimed that the house was built before he was a judge, with income from his two brothers who have both emigrated. He was unable to submit documents to substantiate his claim.
The Commission also found issues with a reciprocal loan agreement between the judge and his brother for an apartment in Lezhe. Extensions were added to the property but the Commission said there were discrepancies in the dates for the construction of the additions. They said that both Nikolli and his brother did not have the financial means to buy the apartment and carry out work on it.
Also, in 2008, Nikolli bought a shop in Lezhe for 1.2 million ALL and then sold it to his father for 3.2 million ALL 12 months later. The Commission raised doubt about the significant increase in value in just a year.
Issues were also found in a contract between the judge and a construction company for the purchase of an apartment in Tirana. According to the Commission, Nikolli received a preferential price for the apartment but did not declare it.
Overall, a negative balance of 7.6 million ALL was noted in the assets of the judge, meaning that this could not be accounted for.
