06 March 2015

On 3 March 2015 a mixed panel of two international judges and one local judge acquitted the defendant K.H., of the offence of Aggravated Murder, following a main trial at the Basic Court of Peja/Peć. The trial panel found that there were circumstances that excluded the defendant's criminal liability and it was not proven the accused had committed the act, he was charged with.

The alleged incident occurred in August 2006, in the village of Banjë/Banja near Peja/Peć. The accused was initially tried and acquitted by the District Court of Peja/Peć in 2007. The prosecutor appealed and in 2009, the Supreme Court of Kosovo ordered a re-trial. The re-trial commenced in 2012, however the defendant absconded and did not attend the trial. An international judge issued orders for his arrest. The defendant was arrested and the re-trial commenced in 2014.

The case was prosecuted by a Kosovo prosecutor from the State Prosecution Office in Peja/Peć. The written judgment will be delivered in thirty days. All parties have the right to appeal.