The Prosecutor v. Sabit Januzi, Ismet Bahtijari and Haxhi Shala
Case Sheet · KSC
The Specialist Prosecutor v. Sabit Januzi, Ismet Bahtijari and Haxhi Shala
| Case number | KSC-BC-2023-10 (formerly KSC-BC-2023-10 and KSC-BC-2023-11, joined 8 February 2024) |
| Status | Eforcement of sentence |
Context
Sabit Januzi, Ismet Bahtijari and Haxhi Shala were charged with offences against the administration of justice. According to the indictment, between 5 and 12 April 2023, at Shala’s direction, Januzi and Bahtijari individually approached a protected KSC witness on two separate occasions in order to induce him to withdraw or refrain from giving evidence, using serious threat and the promise of a benefit. In December 2024, all three entered into plea agreements with the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, admitting guilt to obstructing official persons and intimidation during criminal proceedings. On 4 February 2025, the Trial Panel approved the plea agreements and sentenced Haxhi Shala to 3 years and Januzi and Bahtijari to 2 years each. Additionally, the accused agreed to pay €500 as reparations to the participating victim. This is the KSC’s first case resolved by guilty plea.
Pre-Trial
| Arrest & transfer (Januzi & Bahtijari) | 6 October 2023 |
| Arrest & transfer (Haxhi Shala) | 12 December 2023 |
| Cases joined | 8 February 2024 · Joint case renamed KSC-BC-2023-10 |
| Crimes at indictment |
Obstructing official persons in performing official duties by serious threat · art. 401(1) and (5) KCC Obstructing official persons in performing official duties · art. 401(1) KCC Intimidation during criminal proceedings · art. 387 KCC |
Trial
| Trial opening | 14 November 2024 |
| Guilty pleas entered | 18–19 December 2024 · All three accused pleaded guilty to counts 2 and 3 of the confirmed indictment (obstructing official persons and intimidation during criminal proceedings) |
| Plea agreements approved & sentence | 4 February 2025 · Haxhi Shala: 3 years · Januzi: 2 years · Bahtijari: 2 years |
| Conditional release (Januzi & Bahtijari) | 21 February 2025 · Following sentence modification by KSC President |
Reparations
| Amount | Total of €500 agreed as reparations to the 1 participating victim, as part of the plea agreements |
Key Documents
| Decision on confirmation of indictment - Januzi and Bahtijari | Decision on confirmation of indictment (2023) |
| Decision on confirmation of indictment - Shala | Decision on confirmation of indictment (2023) |
| Arrest Warrant - Januzi | Arrest Warrant (2023) |
| Arrest Warrant - Bahtijari | Arrest Warrant (2023) |
| Arrest Warrant - Shala | Arrest Warrant (2023) |
| Decision on joinder | Decision on Joinder of Cases (8 February 2024) |
| Judgment on plea agreements | Decision Approving Plea Agreements and Imposing Sentences (4 February 2025) |
| KSC case page | Official KSC page — The Specialist Prosecutor v. Sabit Januzi, Ismet Bahtijari and Haxhi Shala |