Serbia suspends investigations against former Kosovo police officer Arbnor Spahiu

The High Public Prosecutor's Office in Subotica, Serbia, has suspended investigations against former member of the Kosovo Police Special Unit, Arbnor Spahiu, who is suspected of committing "serious murder" in the village of Banjska, Zvecan, in northern Kosovo.

The prosecutor's office confirmed to Radio Free Europe that the order to suspend the investigation was issued on November 21, due to a lack of evidence.

Spahiu was arrested by Serbian authorities on June 7 at the border crossing between Hungary and Serbia, while he and his family were returning by bus from Austria to Kosovo.

His lawyer Arianit Koci recently confirmed to Radio Free Europe that he was released on November 21 and returned to Kosovo.

"Spahiu was unnecessarily held for so long, because as I said at the beginning, there is no evidence for such an accusation, because he was not part of the Kosovo Police at that time," the lawyer said.

Serbia has accused Spahiu of committing the crime in Banjska, when an armed group of Serbs attacked the Kosovo Police in September 2023, killing Kosovo policeman Afrim Bunjaku.

Police have confirmed that Spahiu was not a member at the time.

Milan Radojčić – vice-president of the Serbian List at the time of the attack – has claimed responsibility for organizing and carrying out the attack against the Kosovo Police in Banjska.

After being questioned in Belgrade in October 2023, Radojčić was released, but with a travel ban, while the chief prosecutor announced the decision to file an indictment at the end of 2024.

Almost a year later, the prosecutor's office in Serbia has not responded to Radio Free Europe's questions about what has blocked the process.

Meanwhile, the trial of three of the 45 defendants in the Banjska case is being conducted by authorities in Kosovo.

They are continuously demanding Radojcic's extradition to stand trial for the attack, which Kosovo has declared a terrorist act. /REL/