The initial hearing for the three defendants in the Ibër–Lepenc canal attack case in Zubin Potok was suspended at the Basic Court in Prishtina, following requests by defense lawyers for the disqualification of the case prosecutor.
The defense teams argued that during the investigation phase, the prosecution failed to fully collect and administer evidence proposed by the defense, prompting formal requests for the prosecutor’s removal.
According to the court, the hearing was suspended pending a decision by the competent Chief Prosecutor regarding the request to disqualify Special Prosecutor Bekim Kodraliu.
Defense lawyer Nebojša Vllajić, representing defendant Jovan Viqentijević, said he had raised serious objections to the prosecution’s conduct and formally requested the prosecutor’s exclusion. He stated that requests for evidence collection had been submitted as early as December 6, 2024, just days after his client’s arrest, but none of the proposed evidence was administered.
Vllajić added that only selective CCTV footage was obtained, without clarification of timestamps, which he described as crucial to the case, warning that the prosecution’s inaction led to the irreversible loss of evidence.
Defense attorney Miloš Delević, representing Dragiša Viqentijević, joined the request, stating that he had asked in December 2024 for the questioning of four witnesses and the collection of video footage from several locations, including a bank and the Zubin Potok police station, but said the prosecution failed to act.
“The prosecutor has irreversibly damaged my client’s right to defense,” Delević said, requesting that proceedings be halted until the Chief Prosecutor issues a decision.
In contrast, defense lawyer Jelena Krivokapić, representing Igor Dimović, stated that her client’s case was different and that the defense had no objections to the prosecution, noting that all documentation had been properly received.
Responding to the defense claims, Prosecutor Bekim Kodraliu said the investigation was conducted professionally and in full coordination. He emphasized that all proposed evidence had been reviewed and noted that requests for international cooperation regarding phone communications—handled through Serbian telecom operators—had been sent twice to Serbian authorities, but no response was received.
Kodoraliu stressed that the law clearly defines the grounds for prosecutorial disqualification, adding that none of those legal criteria were met in this case.
Presiding Judge Vesel Ismaili stated that once a request for disqualification is filed, the law requires an immediate suspension of all procedural actions until a final decision is made.
“The hearing is suspended, and the court will await the decision of the Special Chief Prosecutor,” the judge said.
