The Basic Court in Pristina, also in the retrial, has made a decision, by which it rejected the request of the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo for the imposition of a detention measure against police officer Aurel Kaziu, as well as Edmir Ahmagjokaj and Ardit Laskas, suspected of money laundering of around 1 million euros, an amount with which they were caught on February 24, 2026 at the border crossing in Merdar.
"The request of the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo PPS.nr.32/2026 dated 25.02.2026 for the imposition of pre-trial detention is REJECTED," the decision of March 9, 2026, "Oath for Justice" reports.
The suspects will be protected in freedom.
According to the Foundation, the Prosecution's request is unfounded.
The court found that in this case the essential condition from Article 184, paragraph 1, point 1.1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is not met, namely the Prosecution failed to prove that there is a well-founded suspicion that the defendants committed the criminal offense they are suspected of.
According to the decision, the state prosecutor nowhere mentions, describes, or invokes any evidence to support the well-founded suspicion that the defendants committed the criminal offense they are suspected of.
"Therefore, the fact that the search was conducted in the presence of the defendants and that monetary assets were found during the search is only a claim by the prosecution presented in the request for detention and in the criminal report of the customs, but at the moment of the decision by the
"The preliminary procedure judge regarding the request for pre-trial detention, there was no evidence to substantiate this claim," the decision states.
The court remains of the opinion that in this case two of the main pieces of evidence are missing, without which a reasonable doubt cannot be established.
The decision states that the Court cannot rely solely on the Prosecution's assumptions that certain property was found with a certain person, without the Prosecution having and providing the evidence that is required by law.
"The facts or factual circumstances in criminal proceedings are the object of review, they are not evidence," the decision states.
Therefore, it is stated that at the stage of the decision by the preliminary procedure judge regarding the request for detention, there was a lack of evidence that guarantees that the alleged monetary assets were found with the defendants.
"Therefore, the first instance court with full conviction remains by its position that at the time the Special Prosecution's request for the imposition of pre-trial detention was decided, the well-founded suspicion that the defendants had committed the criminal offense of which they are suspected was not proven," the decision states.
Initially, the Basic Court in Pristina, Special Department, on February 27, 2026, made a decision rejecting the request of the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo to impose detention on police officer Aurel Kaziu, as well as Edmir Ahmagjokaj and Ardit Laskas.
However, the Court of Appeals – Special Department annulled the decision of the Basic Court in Pristina and returned the case for retrial for the three suspects.
What did the Prosecution's request say?
Meanwhile, in the request of the Special Prosecution Office compiled on February 25, 2026, it is stated that there is reasonable suspicion that the defendants Edmir Ahmagjokaj, Aurel Kaziu and Ardit Laska, intentionally and knowing that the certain property was acquired through criminal activity, on February 24, 2026 entered the territory of the Republic of Kosovo through the border crossing in Merdar, in a 'Sprinter' vehicle, driven by the defendant Ahmagjokaj, and the defendants Kaziu and Laska were also in the vehicle.
According to the Prosecution's request, during the inspection by customs officials, after being asked if they possessed anything to declare, they falsely declared that they had nothing to declare, with the aim of hiding and masking the source, and that after passing the vehicle through the scanner, pronounced densities and unusual lines were observed on the underside of the vehicle.
Meanwhile, it is said that during a detailed inspection, by customs officials in cooperation with the Kosovo Police, using technical equipment, in a modified space in the bunker, 18 packages of banknotes in denominations of €10, €20, €50, €100 and €200 were found inside, in a total amount according to the initial estimate of around €1 million.
With these actions, it is said that the defendants in co-perpetration, have hidden and disguised the source and location of the property that constituted profits from criminal activity, have transported and attempted to transfer financial assets with the aim of presenting them as legal, have possessed and exercised control over these financial assets, being aware of their illegal origin.
With this, the defendants are suspected of having co-perpetrated the criminal offense of "Money Laundering" under Article 302 in conjunction with Article 31 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo, in conjunction with Article 56, paragraph 1, point 1.1 of the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism.
It states that in the statement given to customs investigators, Ahmagjokaj stated that he had no knowledge of the money found in the van.
Meanwhile, Kaziu reportedly stated that he had left Tirana for Germany in a blue van, which he had exchanged in Kosovo for the one that was stopped by Customs. He said that he had taken the van from the company, adding that he had no knowledge of the confiscated money. He added that he had stayed one night in Germany and then met with Ahmagjokaj, continuing the journey to Albania.
Laska, according to the Prosecution, also denied any connection to the confiscated money. He said that on February 23, he and two other unknown individuals left for Albania from Gerania.
In the request, the Prosecution assessed that the conditions for ordering pre-trial detention have been met: the defendants are suspected of committing serious criminal offenses, there is a risk of flight if they are released, there is a risk of destruction, concealment, alteration or falsification of evidence, and that the gravity of the criminal offense is serious and poses a high social risk. /Oath for Justice/
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