In Tirana on Thursday, the Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) presented its sentencing recommendations in the “Golden Bullet” case, one of Albania’s most significant organized crime trials. Prosecutor Doloreza Musabelliu sought sentences ranging from 9 to 35 years in prison for the 15 defendants on charges including contract killings, assassination attempts and drug trafficking. The requested sentences total about 300 years in prison.
SPAK sought 35 years in prison each for Henrik Hoxhaj and Petrit Qoli, the longest sentences in its recommendations. For Nuredin Dumani, the central figure in the case who has cooperated with the authorities, it sought just 10 years. Shorter sentences were also requested for two other cooperating witnesses, Erjon Alibej and Skerdi Tase.
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SPAK requested 10 years in prison for Nuredin Dumani, 15 years for Erjon Alibej, 13 years for Skerdi Tase, 35 years for Henrik Hoxhaj, 25 years for Enver Diva, 25 years for Besian Xhixha, 20 years for Asllan Plaku, 15 years for Ardian Ozuni, 9 years for Gentian Sharra, 20 years for Agron Qoli, 35 years for Petrit Qoli, 20 years for Fatos Gosa, 20 years for Xhulian Hoxha, 15 years for Albert Pashaj and 25 years for Altin Ndoci.
The “Golden Bullet” operation was launched in March 2022, following the arrests of Nuredin Dumani and Henrik Hoxhaj. Dumani later agreed to cooperate with the authorities. His testimony helped uncover crimes committed by criminal groups from 2011 to 2022, mainly in Elbasan, Durrës and Tirana.
The case includes the killing of Emiljano Ramazani and the execution of brothers Viktor and Besmir Haxhia in Durrës, as well as the killings of Fatmira Dedja and Bujar Çela in Elbasan. Investigators also uncovered orders to kill other people, with payments reaching hundreds of thousands of euros. The evidence includes communications on the encrypted Sky ECC platform.
Henrik Hoxhaj initially also had the status of a cooperating witness, but SPAK later revoked it. During the trial, he testified about orders to kill and assassination attempts linked to Dumani. In court, Hoxhaj also spoke about the attempt on businessman Lulzim Masha’s life in January 2022. According to Hoxhaj, Dumani had offered him a total of 250,000 euros to kill Masha and his son.
In connection with the case, Leonard Palushi, the former head of the homicide unit in the Elbasan Police, was previously sentenced to 28 months in prison. Following the presentation of the sentencing recommendations, proceedings at the Special Court will continue with the defense’s arguments. A verdict is expected in the coming hearings.
