Killed the chief of Fier and his son, the Canadian court releases Albania's most wanted man

Úngjëll Brahimi, who is suspected of living in Montreal, Canada for years under a false identity to avoid prison in Albania, where he was convicted in absentia for the murder of a police officer and his son, was released on bail this Thursday, May 18.

The Albanian government claims that Brahimi killed the police officer, Astrit Braçe, and his 8-year-old son in an ambush on August 10, 2000.

Judge François Dadour agreed to a request by lawyers representing Brahim that he be released while the extradition case is pending.

Also today, a number of conditions were set that he must comply with.

In addition to the standard bail conditions — that he keep the peace, obey a curfew and appear at future court dates — a third party agreed to put up a $20,000 bond to support Brahim's bail request. condition.

Brahimi and his wife also agreed to post a $100,000 bond on the property they own.

The judge also imposed an extremely strict condition requiring Brahimi to report every weekday while he is free on bail.

Normally, a person granted bail in a criminal case is required to report to a police station once a week or once a month.

The case will return to court on June 26.

In January, the Albanian government requested Brahim's extradition while claiming that he has been living in Canada for years under the name Piro Kota.

Brahimi's lawyers have admitted that Kota is really Brahimi.

"It is a question of the sufficiency of the evidence that he is the author (convicted in absentia in Albania)", said the lawyer, who added that "we are challenging the reliability of the evidence there".

"On May 21, 2001, the applicant was found guilty in absentia by an Albanian court of premeditated murder due to revenge, murder committed under other specific circumstances, attempted murder and possession of a weapon without a permit. Two of the victims were killed, one of them a child. The other was the former head of the investigation in the Albanian district of Fier", the Albanian statement filed in the request for extradition.

Brahimi was arrested in Montreal on January 26, but he is one of the most wanted persons in Albania. /Albaniapost