Incinerators/ SPAK passes the file for Ahmetaj, Mërtir, Zoto and other defendants for trial

2026-03-18 13:47:00, Aktualitet CNA

Incinerators/ SPAK passes the file for Ahmetaj, Mërtir, Zoto and other

The Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has completed the investigations and sent for trial criminal proceedings no. 277/1 of 2022 against former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj and 10 other persons.

According to SPAK, Ahmetaj is accused of several criminal offenses, including "passive corruption of high-ranking officials", "money laundering" and "concealment or false declaration of assets", committed in several episodes and in collaboration.

Investigations show that he has benefited from significant sums of money and other benefits from businessmen Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri, through hidden payments, fictitious sales and disguised investments.

SPAK announcement

The Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime completed the investigations and has sent to the Special Court of First Instance the request for the trial of criminal proceedings no. 277/1 of 2022, against 11 defendants:

Arben Ahmetaj,

Albina Mançka,

Erjola Hoxha,

Mirel Mertiri,

Klodian Zoto,

Andy Boni,

Elda Dinaj,

Gerian Kuka,

Helidon Begaj,

Sonila Goxhaj

Sokol Meqemeja.

The defendant Arben Ahmetaj is accused of committing the following criminal offenses:

“Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 260 of the Criminal Code, 9 (nine) times, provided for by Article 260 of the Criminal Code, in the aggravating circumstance provided for by Article 50 letter “h” of this Code (more than once). Investigations have established that:

The defendant has benefited from the defendants Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri, through the payment of invoices issued by the company "Integrated Technology Services" sh.pk for services or goods, in connection with the investments made by the defendants Arben Ahmetaj and Albina Mançka, for the conversion of one of their apartments into AirBnb, in the amount of 2,007,373 (two million seven thousand three hundred seventy-three) lekë in the years 2019 - 2020.

He benefited from the defendants Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri, through the defendants Andi Boni and Helidon Begaj, the amount of 170,480 (one hundred and seventy thousand four hundred and eighty) euros, through the realization of a fictitious sale.

He benefited from the defendants Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri, through citizen Besmir Prifti and the defendants Sonila Goxha and Sokol Meqemeja, the amount of 270,000 (two hundred seventy thousand) euros, from a fictitious sale.

He benefited from the defendants Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri, through the defendants Gerian Kuka and Erjola Hoxha, the villa located in Hamallaj, valued at 230,000 (two hundred and thirty thousand) euros.

He benefited from the defendants Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri with monetary amounts from the expenses they incurred for the trips of the defendant, Arben Ahmetaj and his family or friends, in a total amount of 31,442 (thirty-one thousand four hundred and forty-two) lekë (trips made during the years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017).

"Refusal to declare, failure to declare, concealment or false declaration of assets, private interests of elected persons and public servants or of any other person who has a legal obligation to declare" a total of 15 (fifteen) times, alone or in collaboration, provided for by Article 257/a, paragraph two, 257/a, paragraph two and 25 of the Criminal Code, in the aggravating circumstance provided for by Article 50, letter "h" of the Criminal Code (more than once), since the investigations have established that:

He concealed the source and made a false statement regarding the amount of money invested by him and his wife at the time, citizen Albina Mançka, in the palace built by the company Lani sh.pk. This false statement was made in the statement submitted on 10.2022 in collaboration with the defendant, Albina Mançka, and in the statement submitted on 23.03.2023.

He concealed the amounts spent on the investment made in the apartment converted into AirBnb as well as their source, in a total value of 7,173,600 lekë made during 2019 and 2020, where the value of 2,007,373 (two million seven thousand three hundred seventy-three) lekë, was proven to derive from the associates Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri. This false declaration was made in collaboration with the defendant Albina Mançka.

He made a false declaration, regarding the reflection in the declarations submitted to the HIDACCI as having sold assets to citizens Besmir Prifti and Sonila Goxha and the transactions carried out with them related to these sales. Also, the construction area remained in ownership in the building where these assets are located after it was confirmed that the sales in question are fictitious and were carried out with the aim of covering/hiding the source of the amount of 270,000 (two hundred seventy thousand) euros, given as a bribe by the defendants Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri. He made this false declaration in the asset declarations submitted to the HIDACCI on 29.3.2019 and 10.2022 in collaboration with the defendant Albina Mançka and on 23.3.2023.

He made a false declaration, hiding the true source of an amount of 30,000 (thirty thousand) euros, found during the search of the villa in Hamallaj, declared as a gift. This false declaration, made in the declaration submitted on 23.3.2023, was made in collaboration with the defendant Erjola Hoxha.

He made a false declaration, hiding the villa in Hamallaj, valued at 230,000 euros, ordered for him in 2017 by citizens Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri, subsequently obtained by using the defendants Gerian Kuka and Erjola Hoxha. He also made a false declaration and hid the expenses incurred for investment in this villa, in the amount of 145,100 (one hundred and forty-five thousand one hundred) euros and 1,550,880 (one million five hundred and fifty thousand eight hundred and eighty) lekë. This false declaration was made in the asset declarations submitted on 29.3.2019, 29.5.2020, 31.3.2021, 26.10.2022 and was committed in collaboration with the defendant Erjola Hoxha, in the asset declarations submitted to the HIDACCI on 23.3.2023 and 31.3.2024.

He made a false declaration, hiding the source, time of profit and the ownership of the villa in Green Coast, Palasa, which appeared to be booked by the defendant's friend, Albina Mançka, defendant Elda Dinaj, identified as villa no. 73, valued together with the parking lot at 387,731 (three hundred and eighty-seven thousand seven hundred and thirty-one) euros, as well as the investment expenses in this villa, made during the years 2020 and 2021, at 115,897 (one hundred and fifteen thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven) euros and 1,169,900 (one million one hundred and sixty-nine thousand nine hundred) lek. This concealment was carried out in collaboration with the defendant Albina Mançka, in the statements submitted to the HIDACCI, on 29.3.2019, 29.5.2020, 31.3.2021, 26.10.2022 and was carried out only in the statement submitted on 23.03.2023.

He made a false declaration, concealing the true source of the amount declared by his cohabitant, the defendant Erjola Hoxha, as coming from the commercial activity of the company 3S Consulting sh.pk, with the sole partner being citizen Erjola Hoxha. This false declaration was made in collaboration with the defendant, Erjola Hoxha, in the declarations submitted to the HIDAKKI on 23.3.2023 and 31.3.2024.

He made a false declaration, in the form of concealment, in the declaration submitted to the HIDACCI on 29.3.2019, regarding the source and amount spent, of 93,500 (ninety-three thousand five hundred) euros, at the Dragonara casino, Malta.

"Laundering of the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity", in collaboration and more than once, provided for by Article 287, paragraph two, of the Criminal Code, in the following forms and episodes:

– Regarding the investment amount, in the AirBnb environment, for 2019, of a minimum of 420,356 (four hundred and twenty thousand three hundred and fifty-six) lekë, in collaboration with citizens Albina Mançka, Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri.

– For the investment amount, in the AirBnb environment, for the year 2020, of a minimum of 1,587,017 (one million five hundred eighty-seven thousand seventeen) lekë, in collaboration with citizens Albina Mançka, Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri.

– For the amount of 170,480 euros indirectly benefited by citizens Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mertiri, reflected as a sale made to citizen Andi Boni, in collaboration with citizens Albina Mançka, Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mertiri.

– For the total amount of 270,000 euros received from citizens, Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mërtiri, through citizens Besmir Prifti and Sonila Goxhaj, in cooperation with citizens Albina Mançka, Klodian Zoto, Mirel Mërtiri and Sokol Meqemeja

– Regarding the actions taken to conceal the ownership of the villa in Hamallaj and the expenses incurred for it, in collaboration with citizens Erjola Hoxha, Klodian Zoto, Mirel Mërtiri and Gerian Kuka.

– For the actions taken to conceal the ownership of villa no. 73 in Green Coast, Palasa and the investment in it, in collaboration with citizens Albina Mançka and Elda Dinaj.

Considering the conduct committed by each of the other defendants, in the commission of the above-mentioned criminal offenses, the defendant Arben Ahmetaj is charged as follows:

The defendant Albina Mançka is accused of committing the criminal offenses of “Refusal to declare, failure to declare, concealment or false declaration of assets, private interests of elected persons and public servants or of any other person who has a legal obligation to declare” in collaboration with citizen Arben Ahmetaj, provided for by Article 257/a, second paragraph and 25 of the Criminal Code, 6 (six) times, in the aggravating circumstance provided for by Article 50, letter “h” of the Criminal Code, (more than once) and “Laundering of the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, in collaboration and more than once, provided for by Article 287, second paragraph of the Criminal Code, for 5 (five) episodes.

The defendant Erjola Hoxha is accused of committing the criminal offenses "Refusal to declare, failure to declare, concealment or false declaration of assets, private interests of elected persons and public servants or of any other person who has a legal obligation to declare" provided for in Article 257/a, paragraph two and 25 of the Criminal Code, 4 (four) times, in the aggravating circumstance provided for in Article 50, letter "h" of the Criminal Code (more than once) and "Laundering of the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity" committed in collaboration, provided for in Article 287, paragraph two of the Criminal Code, letters 'b' and "c".

The defendants Mirel Mërtiri (alias Klodian Mërtiri) and Klodian Zoto have been charged with committing the criminal offenses "Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials" in collaboration, provided for by Article 245 and 25 of the Criminal Code, and "Laundering of the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity", in collaboration and more than once, provided for by Article 287, paragraph two of the Criminal Code, for 5 (five) episodes.

The defendants: Andi Boni, Elda Dinaj, Gerian Kuka, Helidon Begaj, Sonila Goxhaj and Sokol Meqemeja have been charged with committing the criminal offense "Laundering of proceeds of criminal offense or criminal activity", in collaboration, provided for by Article 287, paragraph two of the Criminal Code./ CNA