The hypothesis raised by the Prosecution in the case of the potential involvement of Agron Xhafaj in drug trafficking is simple:
Albert Veliu has staged a conversation about a drugs arrangement with his friend Fredi Alizoti, in which the latter pretends to be Agron Xhafaj. The staging has been facilitated by or done in collaboration with the PD MP Ervin Salianji and journalist Jetmir Olldashi.
According to prosecution, the motives bringing these people together to feign this staging are:
— Albert Veliu has acted with the purpose of creating a pretext to seek political asylum abroad.
— Fredi Alizoti has acted for the money promised to him by Albert Veliu, who would have been paid by opposition MP Salianji.
— MP Ervin Salianji and journalist Jetmir Olldashi have acted with the purpose of damaging the image and reputation of the Minister of Interior Fatmir Xhafaj.
The prosecution claims that after having done his “job” and not having been paid by his friend, Alizoti has decided to report him to the police, thus revealing the whole scheme.
It appears that the prosecution has believed his statement, i.e., the version of a drug trafficker, with other criminal activities and several jail sentences, who chooses the path of an honest citizen and reports a minor crime to the police, even though this action might result in another jail sentence for him.
Apart from the self-denunciation, police have several phone interceptions of Alizoti talking with people, who he seems not to be acquainted with, and to whom he explains, with no conversational context whatsoever, that he has played the role of Agron Xhafaj. In an intercepted conversation between Veliu and Alizoti they talk in general terms about a payment, without mentioning figures, names or reasons for it.
Alizoti’s self-denunciation was made in early June 2018. It is unknown why the prosecution let him go, without ever questioning him again until early October, i.e., until four months later, at which time the prosecution sought his arrest and detention, without any new investigative action taken against him up to that point.
However, what raises serious questions about this hypothesis of the Prosecution of Serious Crimes is an essential contradiction throughout the whole investigation: the only reason the prosecution is investigating the case brought by Agron Xhafaj for “false allegation” against Olldashi and Salianji is because that case was merged with the investigation for “drug trafficking” against Agron Xhafaj, which started after the public accusations against Xhafaj. (“False allegation” is a minor crime that is investigated by County Prosecutions. From a procedure viewpoint, phone interceptions are inadmissible in such investigation.)
The prosecution has never informed the public regarding the advancement of the investigation for drug trafficking against Agron Xhafaj. The fact that the prosecution rushed to raise concrete charges and ask for restrictive measures against those who have brought “false allegations,” aimed at damaging the image of the Minister of Interior Fatmir Xhafaj, implies that Agron Xhafaj was not involved in drug trafficking. In case he was involved, it would be absurd to claim that by accusing his brother for drug trafficking Fatmir Xhafaj’s image would be damaged.
The situation needs to be observed in the coming weeks. However, the Prosecution of Serious Crimes seems to be involved in an absurd situation: it is investigating a crime outside its area of competence, using methods that are procedurally inadmissible for an exclusive investigation of such crime. At the same time the prosecution has failed to investigate a crime in its very area of responsibility (not counting the dragging for years of a series of corruption and organized crime investigations that are its exclusive responsibility).
