The murder of Ardian Nikulaj/ Daily Mail: Three Britons risk 31 years in prison

2023-06-18 16:54:00, Aktualitet CNA

Three Britons, including a young mother, risk spending the rest of their lives in prison in Albania after being suspected of murdering Ardian Nikuljat, writes the Daily Mail.

Businessman Ardian Nikulaj was shot 6 times by an armed person in April.

Albanian detectives claim that three Britons - including the mother of a seven-year-old girl - were involved in the crime.

Edmond Haxhia, who lives in the Midlands, approached Harriet Bridgeman, Steven Hunt and Thomas Mithan to help him resolve a years-long conflict with Nikulaj, the article says.

The Albanian government wants to extradite the three Britons to stand trial for murder in Albania.

If convicted, they face a minimum of 31 years in prison. Westminster Magistrates' Court heard that relatives of Haxhiat and Nikulaj were in a 'blood feud' dating back to the shooting at a petrol station over money.

On June 25, 1997, in Lezhë, Gëzim Lekstakaj and Lorent Gjetja allegedly shot Pëllumb Nikulaj, Ardian Nikulaj's brother, with a firearm. Then, in September of that year, Lekstakaj and Gjetja were shot dead in a revenge attack, allegedly organized by Nikulaj.

In March 1999, in a village in Albania, two members of the Lekstakaj family - Gjovalin and Pjeter - shot at Nikoll Nikulaj, Ardian's uncle.

In 2007, Albania tried to extradite Pjeter Lekstakaj for the attempted murder of Nikol Nikulaj, but failed.

Lekstakaj's lawyers argued that he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and Albanian prisons would not be able to handle the condition. The judge hearing the case agreed.

Bridgeman, Hunt and Mithan are said to have traveled to Albania to conduct surveillance on Ardian Nikulaj at his bar in Shengjin.

The organizer is said to be Haxhia. Another man, Ruben Saraiva, 27, born in Portugal but resident in the United Kingdom for years, is the gunman, Albanian police believe.

The extradition hearing will be held in November./CNA