Albania Tax Chief, Secret Policemen Arrested For Murder

TIRANA, May 5 – Albania’s tax chief was placed under house arrest
after being charged with the 1995 torture and murder of a businessman.
Arben Sefgjini, head of Albania’s General Directorate of Taxes and
who previously served as head of Tirana’s Secret Service, SHIK, along
with three of his former colleagues Budion Mece, Avni Kolldashi and
Ilir Kumbaro, have been charged with the torture and murder of Macedonian-
Albanian, Remzi Hoxha, in 1995.
The four former SHIK officers are accused of abducting Remzi Hoxha,
Ziso Kristopoli and Avdyl Loshaj on October 21, 1995. Prosecutors believe
that after being placed in a SHIK safe house in northern Lezha, the
three were tortured and Hoxha died as a result of the wounds inflicted
during the torture. The reasons behind the abduction remain unclear.