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Was it a scam? Elvis Shkambi's GoFundMe page shuts down after over $14,000 raised

2025-10-10 12:49:17Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

On October 8, just 2 days after the murder of Judge Astrit Kalaja in the courtroom of the Appeals Court, a relative of the Shkambi family opened a Gofundme page to ask Albanians to contribute to cover the costs of the lawyer.

Despite the strangeness of siding with a murderer, whatever his reasons, the goal that Francesk Shkambi set was $20,000 in aid, and it was almost reached. By 11:30 on October 10, 2025, Albanians had contributed over $14,000. Among the people who donated, most were named, but there were also anonymous people. But now the page on the GoFundMe donation platform has been closed.

The person who claimed to be a relative of 30-year-old Elvis Shkambi and 56-year-old Gjon Shkambi had also shared a message on the platform claiming to be from the Shkambi family. The reaction first began with condolences to the family of judge Kalaja and an apology to the parties in the trial, father and son Ragip and Ervis Kurtaj, who were injured. According to the Shkambi family, neither Elvis nor Gjon ever expressed the intention to attack the justice system with a weapon, despite claiming a wrongful trial against them.

In a submission, Françesk Shkambi wrote that nothing justifies the loss of life, but the justice system, according to him, is such that it leaves Albanian families in despair, amidst a long legal conflict over property rights.

It is not known whether Francesk Shkambi is truly a relative of those accused of murder, just as it is not known whether the message distributed is truly from the Shkambi family.

The message shared on the page claimed to be from the Shkambi family.

The Shkambi family has expressed deep sorrow for this devastating loss. They extend their deepest condolences to the family of Judge Kalaja, mourning the senseless death of a dedicated public servant. They also send their sincere apologies to Rakip and Ervis Kurtaj for the injuries they have suffered, wishing them a speedy and full recovery.

The family emphasizes that this tragedy is not something Elvis or Gjon Shkambi ever desired or expressed. They believe that their members have suffered for years from mistreatment, wrongful convictions, and delays in the justice system, but emphasize that such an outcome was never their intention.

We also hope that the Albanian government will carefully review this case and ensure that no one else suffers the consequences of the actions and mistakes made during this conflict.

This tragedy calls for urgent judicial reform — faster case resolution, stronger security in the courts, and clear mechanisms for resolving property disputes without pitting citizens against each other.

The EU and the US, as key supporters of the 2016 reforms in Albania, should help implement these changes to prevent further disappointments.

Albania is at a crossroads.

The failures of the justice system — which fueled distrust and led to this tragedy — must be addressed. Let this be a turning point toward a system where disputes end in resolution, not destruction.

We urgently call for reform of the Albanian judicial system, so that no family or young person — like Elvis Shkambi — is ever again driven to despair by systemic failures. No one should experience the pain, injustice, and hopelessness that led to this tragic event.


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