The Special Appeals Chamber (SAC) has upheld the dismissal of Elbasan judge Enkeleda Kapedani.
The decision was taken this Wednesday by a majority vote by the KPA panel headed by Rezarta Schuetz, with rapporteur Natasha Mulaj and members Sokol Çomon, Albana Shtyllë and Mimoza Tasin.
Enkeleda Kapedani was dismissed from office on May 18, 2022 by the first level of vetting (Independent Qualification Commission) for problems with the asset criterion and it was assessed that her actions had undermined public trust in justice.
The Commission's reasoned decision explained that the breach of public trust in justice was concluded based on the subject's inaccurate presentation of the relationship and transactions carried out by her cohabitant with a citizen convicted in Italy for organized crime, from whom she bought a truck for a price several times cheaper than she sold it a few months later, and gave him a loan worth 28 thousand euros.
The overall assessment of the case regarding the violation of public trust also included the recording of videos by Judge Kapedani in the workplace, which were subsequently published on Tik Tok.
The majority also assessed that Kapedani violated public trust by filing with the Commission notarized statements of her complainants, who stated that they did not file their complaints.
Enkeleda Kapedani was also confronted by the KPK with the finding that her cohabitant LQ was wanted by the police after he had fired a gun in the air during a property dispute.
On January 17, 2021, based on an agreement, the High Judicial Council suspended Kapedani from duty for 6 months, due to a disciplinary proceeding opened by the High Inspector of Justice, following the publication on TikTok of several videos filmed in the office and while he was driving. Kapedani has described the Tik Tok videos as a matter of judgment.
Enkeleda Kapedani completed her studies at the Magistrates' School in 2014 and after a period of internship in Tirana, she was appointed a judge at the Elbasan Court, where she subsequently also served as vice president.