Kosovo’s Appeals Court has confirmed the 13-year-old, 6-month prison sentence against Aslan Nikqi, who was convicted of criminal acts of serious bodily prosecution in the wake of death, over the case his brother, M.N., had remained victim.

The College of the Randa Crime Department, consisting of judges Kadrije Goga Lubishtani, chairman, and Dzevdet Abazi and Arben Hoti, members, on October 1, 2026, has refused both the Constitutional Prosecutor’s complaint in Pec and that of the accused’s defense, lawyer Mustafe Kastracti.

With that ruling, Appeal has confirmed the Act of Foundation Court in Pec on July 8, 2026.

The prosecution had demanded that Aslan Nikqi be convicted of grave murders, just as he was originally charged, rejecting requalification of criminal acts from the first degree.

On the other hand, the defence had sought his release from the prosecution, claiming Nikqi had acted in necessary protection and that no cause connection had been proven between his actions and the death of the victim.

But the Court of Appeals has estimated that these claims do not stand.

In line with the act of judgment, the conflict between the two brothers had begun after a dispute over logging trees. The victim had initially sought help from police in Pec, while there had been physical clashes with the accused.

The court has found that after Aslan Nikqi had taken the ax from the victim, the initial clash had ended. However, the victim had fled to his hut while the accused had followed him and had continued to strike him with an axe.

Under the decision, in the second clash, Nikqi had hit his brother about 7-8 times with the ax’s tail, including in the head, hands and feet. Then he left, leaving the victim in serious health.

Apel has estimated that at this stage it could not be a matter of necessary protection, since the victim’s initial attack had ended and the accused continued his actions even after the victim was dragged into the hut.

A significant part of the reasoning also relates to forensic expertise conducted by experts at the Law Medicine Institute in Tirana.

According to expertise, the cause of death was massive subdural hematoma, caused by trauma to the head. Forensic expert Dr. Asserie Gianni had explained that bloodshed had gradually developed, enabling the victim to move even for a period after the blows until the collection of blood had caused the fatal consequence.

The court has also rejected the defence claims that the victim might have been injured during the walk or crash, assessing that the expert had confirmed the link between the axes and his death.

Likewise, Apel has estimated that the accused’s desire to deprive the victim of life had not been proven, so requalification from heavy murder at the fatally severe bodily descent was correct.

As far as the sentence goes, the court has assessed Nikqi’s good and correct conduct as a circumstance during the judicial process, while as grave circumstances the determination to perform the work, the fatal consequence and the fact that the victim was his brother.

Thus, Aslan Nikqi will serve the sentence of 13 years and 6 months in prison, while the time spent in detention from April 26th 2019 will be calculated.

Note: Those who are referred to in this article are represented innocent until their guilt is proved by court – form decision.

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/Gazeta Sinjali/

Source Layer: Signal