Albanian supreme court declares ex-police chief innocent of desertion

TIRANA, Dec. 4 – On Monday, Albania’s Supreme Court declared Agim Shehu, ex-police chief, who was sentenced to eight years imprisonment for deserting his post and damaging the country’s armament, innocent. The Supreme Court canceled the charge of deserting the police force against Shehu, who is believed to be in Germany since he left Albania in June 1997 after the tiny Balkan country plunged into chaos when many Albanians lost their life’s savings in failed pyramid investment schemes. Prosecutor Artur Selmani dropped the charge of damaging the country’s armament, which had also caused a military court to sentence Shehu to prison. Shehu had previously won the right to turn his case over to the civil court after making this request to the Constitutional Court. Shehu was police chief and deputy interior minister from 1995-1997 and a close associate of Prime Minister Sali Berisha, then the country’s president. During the hectic months of spring 1997, crowds looted army depots, the government ceased to function, and a few thousand people died in the violence. A temporary administration was set up with the help of the international community after a NATO-led force was sent to Albania to help restore order. Shehu left the country after the opposition Socialists won the general elections and took power from Berisha’s Democratic Party in June 1997.