Six Kosovo police officers in Mitrovica were accuse of misusing authority and taking bribes. 3 of them were fired even though they were found not guilty. The Internal Disciplinary Commission of Kosovo Police decided to fire them in June 2013 after two years of judicial process. Sergeant Naser Damati and police officers Kemajl Hoti and Halit Fazliu said they will sue their former employer.
Halit Fazliu was one of the six Kosovo Police officials that were accused by the basic prosecution in Mitrovica of misuse of authority and taking bribes. The other accused were Naser Damati, Avni Shyti, Nazmi Potërçoi, Besim Smajli, and Kemajl Hoti.
After the investigations were finished and after a judicial process of two years, the Basic Court of Mitrovica, led by the EULEX judges, announced the verdict on the February 15, 2013. Two of the police officials were found guilty and the rest were found not guilty and were immediately released.
Avni Shyti was sentenced to five months of probation, whereas his colleague Nazmi Potercoi was sentenced to 15 months in prison, also will be put on probation.
The same court found the other four officers not guilty. During the judicial process they were suspended from work and after they were found not guilty, they returned to their position as officials in Kosovo Police.
But Naser Damati, Kemajl Hoti, and Halit Fazliu were fired on July 24 after five months of work.
At that time when Damati was being accused, he received recognition for outstanding work against contraband and for good team management. Damati and his colleagues’ innocence was also confirmed by the European Mission.
“Naser Damati, Halit Fazliu, and Kemajl Hoti were found not guilty. We have no information about why they were fired from their workplace, but for us they are innocent,” said the spokesperson of EULEX, Blerim Krasniqi.
The three fired Kosovo Police officials submitted a complaint to the Kosovo Police General Director’s office, but say that they haven’t received any answer. They doubt that the Kosovo Police General Director will take their complaint into consideration.
Lawyer Behar Ejupi, who is preparing a charge against Kosovo Police for his client sergeant Damti, said that there was a breach in the decision made by the Disciplinary Commission. He explained for Justice in Kosovo that the investigator of the commission for the case, Damati, should have interviewed all the case witnesses. The Disciplinary Commission did not interview any of the witnesses; they just took the witnesses’ declarations from Kosovo Police.