TIRANA, Jan 5 /ATA/ – Special Court against Corruption and Organised Crime on Monday rejected a request by former president Ilir Meta to be released from pre-trial detention, leaving him in jail.
Meta, who leads the opposition Freedom Party, had asked the court to replace the pretrial detention with a lighter security measure, arguing he posed no risk of tampering with evidence, intimidating witnesses or fleeing the country.
Meta’s lawyer, Kujtim Cakrani, said the decision had no legal basis and accused the court of acting in line with the prosecution.
“We will continue our legal battle and seek a change of measure, as is our procedural right,” Cakrani told reporters. He said Meta had attended all hearings and that delays in the case were the responsibility of the court.
The Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organised Crime (SPAK) has completed its investigation and sent the case to the Special Court of First Instance.
SPAK has charged Meta with passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or elected local officials in three cases, two of them in cooperation; money laundering committed in cooperation; and failure to declare, concealment or false declaration of assets and private interests.
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