TIRANA, Oct. 18 – Albania’s Appeals Court confirmed on Wednesday the imprisonment of Rexhep Rraja, the son of Fushe-Kruje Socialist MP Rrahman Rraja, who was arrested a couple of weeks back for exercising violence on former girlfriend Xhisiela Maloku.
Rexhep’s lawyer appealed Kruja’s Court decision, asking for his release on the pretense his human rights were being violated.
Local media reported Maloku, who was the one to initially denounce Rexhep but then recently withdrew her accusations claiming Rexhep never hurt her or persecuted her, was also in the courtroom, asking for his release.
The violence exercised towards Maloku, as well as the initial charges pressed by her, happened in June, but did not gain public attention until the opposition’s Democratic Party published a video showing former Kruje police officer Emiljano Nuhu denouncing the case and alleging proceedings were hampered to protect Rexhep.
In his interview, Nuhu also alleged SP MPs – Rahmen Rraja and Taulant Balla – held him at gunpoint in the Fushe-Kruje police department to not complete his duty towards Maloku’s denouncement and investigate the charges and Rexhep.
Maloku said in the past the police did not register her denunciations and that when it finally did, she was again forced to withdraw them under the pressure of threats.
Although both Rrahman and Balla categorically denied being in the Fushe-Kruje department, knowing Nuhu, or even, in the case of Rrahman, the violence towards Maloku ever happening, the forensic expertise conducted on Maloku’s body left little place for doubt on the latter one.
The results showed violence was exercised on Maloku’s back and cigarettebutts were put off on her thighs.
However, in an interview only two weeks ago, Maloku denied being violated by Rexhep, saying she had pressed charges out of jealousy for his new relationship and that he had never been violent towards her.
As for the forensic expertise showing that Maloku had signs of violence and cigarette burns on her body, she said they were a normal part of their relationship.
Despite Rexhep’s arrest, the country’s opposition has been using the case over the last two weeks to accuse the prosecution and government of failing to do their job and protect their citizens.
“The arrest just for show in exchange of the public opinion’s silence. The arrest of a ruthless rapist with the lightest charge, that of persecution, is the trick that Rama is using to protect the criminals who provide him with power in Kruja and Fushà« Krujà«,” Democratic Party MP Jorida Tabaku has stated.
