In the absence of the two defendants, the hearing for subsidy fraud fails

Friday's court hearing regarding the case of organizing pyramid schemes, illegal gambling and fraud failed to take place in the absence of two of the three defendants. In this case, Valmir Hajrullahu, Freskim Buqaj and Saranda Dobruna are accused of having founded the non-governmental organization "Center for Advocacy and Diplomacy", through which they defrauded farmers, promising them subsidies in exchange for participation in their own benefit.

Of the three charged with organizing pyramid schemes, illegal gambling and fraud, only the accused, Saranda Dobruna, appeared on Friday before the Basic Court in Pristina for the court session regarding the case.

In addition to Dobruna, Valmir Hajrullahu and Freskim Buçaj are also accused in this case. All three are accused in the indictment filed in 2017 of founding the non-governmental organization "Center for Advocacy and Diplomacy", through which farmers were deceived with offers of subsidies.

The presiding judge, Agim Kuqi, said that the hearing scheduled for Friday cannot be held in the absence of the defendants Hajrullahu and Buçaj.

"Valmir Hajrullahu has informed the court that he cannot participate in today's court hearing, as previously his defense attorney, Musa Damati, has notified the Court by submission that he will not participate in today's hearing with the justification that he will participate in another court hearing. Also absent is the accused Freskim Buçaj, who has notified the court by submission that he cannot participate in today's hearing, as his defense attorney, attorney Shpëtim Sadiku, will not participate in the hearing, because for family reasons he cannot participate in the session," said Kuqi.

In a response to KOHA, lawyer Musa Damati announced that his client, Valmir Hajrullahu, was unable to appear at the hearing, as he is in the United States of America (USA).

The indictment against Dobruna, Hajrullahu and Buçaj specifies that the three defendants have obtained illegal benefits worth around 600 thousand euros, by demanding from farmers a participation of 25 to 30 percent of the value of the subsidy, in the name of benefiting from it.

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"Through this organization, they initially created false trust in citizens/farmers through social networks, and by deceiving them, they allegedly offered subsidies for which the injured parties had participated with a value of between 25 and 30% of the basic request. The injured parties had paid this percentage into the bank account of QAD, and in some cases they had also paid in cash, and they had also been obliged to pay VAT (even though agricultural products are exempt from this tax by law), and the business plan in cash in the name of this organization. These financial means were allegedly withdrawn immediately from the bank account by the defendants, who, claiming to have agreements with the European Commission and the Ministry of Agriculture," the indictment states.

In addition, the indictment charges Hajrullahu, Buqaj and Dobruna with having organized pyramid schemes with the aim of illegally obtaining financial benefits for themselves and for another person, from August 4, 2014 to December 2, 2016.