The Basic Court in Ferizaj has approved the request from the Prosecutor’s Office to extend pre-trial detention by an additional two months for six defendants accused of involvement in the murder of Kosovo Police sergeant Muhamet Lika. The individuals – Haki Bela, Rilind Murati, Vatan Çaka, Edmond Lika, Shkëlqim Kuka, and Diamant Gashi – are being held on suspicion of collaborating with a minor to commit the premeditated killing of the officer on April 1, 2025, in Kaçanik.
According to the court’s ruling, there is well-grounded suspicion that the defendants acted in coordination and with prior preparation to assist the minor, R.B., in carrying out the murder. The incident occurred around 11:00 PM, in the entrance stairwell of an apartment building on Idriz Seferi Street in Kaçanik. The prosecution alleges that the group plotted the killing in advance, ultimately resulting in R.B. shooting the officer with a firearm shortly after he returned home from work.
The court report states that surveillance footage and forensic evidence support the prosecution’s claims. Sergeant Lika had left the police station at 10:53 PM and was followed to his apartment. Upon entering the building and ascending the stairs, he was ambushed by R.B., who fired four rounds from a 9mm handgun, fatally wounding him. Emergency services declared Lika dead at the scene due to injuries sustained from the gunfire.
After the shooting, the minor reportedly fled to the nearby “Dukagjini” establishment, where he met with defendant Rilind Murati. The two were later seen fleeing the area via Mejdi Dalloshi Street. Footage also showed defendant Haki Bela tailing the officer from the police station and appearing near the crime scene approximately 14 minutes after the shooting. Vatan Çaka was observed in the company of the minor and Murati before the crime, reportedly surveying the scene.
Additionally, Edmond Lika and Shkëlqim Kuka were documented following the victim in separate vehicles—an Opel Astra and a Golf II—providing coordinated surveillance. One of the fatal bullets was traced back to the scene where the suspects had gathered, with security camera footage and mobile data used to corroborate their movements and communications before and after the murder.
The court noted that investigations are still ongoing. Several forensic reports have yet to be completed, including DNA analyses and mobile phone examinations. Special investigative measures such as phone tapping and financial transaction analysis are also being employed.
The presiding judge emphasized that the risk of the suspects influencing witnesses, tampering with evidence, or repeating the offense remains high. Several of the accused are already known to law enforcement for other criminal activities. As such, continued detention is deemed necessary to prevent interference in the legal process or potential flight from justice.
In conclusion, the court justified the extension of detention by pointing to the suspects’ prior behavior, the gravity of the crime, the existing evidence, and the need to protect the integrity of the investigation into the brutal murder of a police officer.
