The trial against Laert Haxhiu is being held this Tuesday at the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO), where Sami Bashaliu, cousin of Albi Bashaliu, killed on December 27, 2021 in the village of Gjocaj, Peqin, testified.
Before the trial panel, he recounted the dynamics of the assassination, stating that on the morning of the incident, a white “Audi” vehicle with dark windows and Albanian license plates was stopped near his bar.
According to the witness, he initially did not notice anyone in the vehicle, but a few moments later one of them got out, approached Albi Bashaliu and, after a brief communication, opened fire on him.
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“A murder took place near my bar 3-4 years ago, before New Year’s. That day it was raining in the morning. It was an Audi-type vehicle, white in color, with dark windows. The woman told me there was a car there. I approached, but I didn’t see anyone. After a while, one of the people who got out of the car spoke to Albi Bashaliu, then the gun went off. I had never seen his face before, he was wearing a mask. He shot 2-3 times,” Bashaliu declared.
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He added that there were two people in the vehicle, but only one of them carried out the execution. After the shooting, the perpetrators set the victim’s vehicle on fire and fled the scene.
“This Albi fell to the ground, then they pulled the gun and burned the victim’s vehicle. I went inside, just watched, I didn’t do anything,” he testified.
Sami Bashaliu further said that Albi Bashaliu no longer frequented his bar after the murder of his brother, Leonard Bashaliu, and that he had no knowledge of the victim’s past or conflicts.
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“Albi hasn’t been coming to our bar lately, since his brother was killed. I didn’t know anything about his past. Albi’s brother, Leonard, was killed, he spent most of his time in Italy. That’s the only way I found out about Albert Xhahysa, I don’t know anything,” the witness said before the GJKKO.
The trial against Laert Haxhiu continues with the questioning of witnesses and the administration of evidence for the events that are part of the criminal file.