As the Zuko family has opened the doors of the morgue and is expected to bid farewell to 20-year-old Joan Zuko tomorrow, other details have emerged from the testimony of the young man who is accused of the tragic event that occurred on Saturday afternoon in the city of Korça.
Kristjan Sterjo has told the investigation team about the dynamics of the conflict with Joan Zuko, claiming that there had been another clash between them, about two weeks before the incident. According to testimony provided by journalist Anila Hoxha, the young man stated that the conflict had started after, according to him, Zuko had harassed a friend of his.
Sterjo said that after the first confrontation, on the day of the incident, he saw the young man again and decided to approach him to clarify the conflict. According to his version, the situation escalated and then he left for the apartment, where he took a gun, a firearm that he was keeping hidden.
The young man confessed that he then returned to the area where Joan Zuko was and followed her to a building, where he shot her. He claims that he had aimed for her legs and that after the shot he did not see if Zuko was injured or what had happened to him.
“I followed him. He entered a building and I followed him, and at that point I shot him with a gun, aiming for his legs. After the shot, I didn’t see if he was injured or what had happened to him, but I left. When I arrived at Fusha e Drurëve, I hid the gun by placing it in some bushes and then I went to the apartment, changed and put my clothes in the washing machine,” he confessed, among other things.
According to the same sources, it is learned that the young man has had a difficult life, who is suspected of having faced family problems since childhood. His parents divorced when he was only two years old, while his relationship with his father was strained.
The file also mentions a previous episode where he stabbed his father about a year ago. It is even learned that he has requested a lawyer from the state to defend himself, as his parents’ economic situation does not allow for it.
Full proof:
I was alone on the sidewalk in front of the premises opposite the cinema. On the road in front of where he was, a black Mercedes-Benz C-Class passed by. I don’t remember the license plate number of the vehicle, but I know that the vehicle is used or owned by Johan Zuko. About two weeks ago, I had a verbal conflict with Johan. The cause of the conflict was the fact that Johan Zuko had harassed a friend of mine. I asked him not to harass her, and during the conflict I slapped him.
When he drove by, I spoke to him and he stopped. The goal was to clarify the previous conflict with him. Immediately after the vehicle stopped, I approached the car window. At this moment, Johan Zuko pulled out a knife and tried to stab me.
After that, Johan got out of the vehicle and approached me, trying to stab me again. To avoid the blow, I kicked him. There was another person in his vehicle, a boy.
After getting out of the vehicle, this person held me and at that moment Johani tried to hit me and cursed me with dirty words.
At this moment, some people who were there intervened and separated us. After the separation, Johani and the other person left again in a vehicle, while I ran away towards my apartment. Then, in a state of anger, I took the firearm from the house, a rifle, I had found this weapon earlier and kept it hidden in the apartment.
I took it from where I was hiding it, put it in a white bag, and set off on foot toward the neighborhood where Johan lived.
When I arrived, I saw Joan who was standing next to a bar opposite the market. After seeing him, I approached him and pulled out my gun. As I was approaching him, he cursed at me again and then ran away.
I followed him. He entered a building and I followed him, at that place I shot him with a gun. , aiming at his legs. After the shot, I did not see him injured or what had happened to him, but I left.
When I arrived at the Woodland, I hid the gun by placing it in some bushes and then went to the apartment, changed and put my clothes in the washing machine. Then I went out and entered an uninhabited house, near my house.