TIRANA, March 4 /ATA/ The Special Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (SCCOC) handed down its ruling on Wednesday in the “Sterilization” case, sentencing former Deputy Minister of Health Klodian Rrjepaj and businessman Ilir Rrapaj, who was awarded the concession, to four years in prison each, with the sentence reduced due to the use of the abbreviated trial procedure.
The judicial process, which has been in the spotlight due to allegations of embezzlement of state funds in the healthcare sector, concluded with sentences less severe than those initially sought by the Special Prosecution Office (SPAK).
For former Deputy Minister of Health Rrjepaj, convicted of “Abuse of Office” and “Document Forgery,” SPAK had requested 10 years in prison. However, following the application of the abbreviated trial procedure, the sentence was reduced to 6 years and 8 months.
Nonetheless, the trial panel imposed an initial sentence of 6 years, which was subsequently reduced to a final sentence of 4 years of imprisonment. The same penalty and sentence reduction were applied to businessman Ilir Rrapaj.
In addition to the main defendants, the Special Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) issued custodial sentences, community service orders, and probationary sentences for other officials implicated in the concession award commission or the preparation of the documentation.
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