Singer Besart Kelmendi, known by his stage name Gjesti, told the court that the actions he is suspected of committing were carried out in an emotional state and he apologized for the incident.
Gjesti apologized to the injured party and the court, saying that all of his actions were taken in a moment of emotional distress.“I agree with the statement of my lawyer. I want to inform the court that I am anxious and that I acted in a state of emotional distress. I apologize to the court, the prosecutor, and the injured party,” Gjesti is reported to have said, according to the prosecution file obtained by Betimi për Drejtësi.
Meanwhile, his defense opposed the prosecution’s request for pre-trial detention, arguing that there is no risk of the criminal act being repeated, Betimi për Drejtësi reports.His lawyer stated that, according to life experience and psychology, when a person reacts impulsively, there is usually no risk that the same action will be repeated after a short period of time.According to the defense, the fact that the case has received significant public attention should also be taken into consideration, and that the suspect is aware that an investigation is underway against him.The defense also emphasized that, based on Article 159 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kosovo, which defines the principle of proportionality in determining security measures, pre-trial detention would not be a proportionate measure. According to defense lawyer Artan Qerkini, for the first two offenses Kelmendi is suspected of, the law foresees a punishment of up to one year in prison or a fine.The defense also informed the court that their client is willing to enter into a plea agreement, noting that this would reduce procedural risks.
Lawyer Qerkini added that placing Kelmendi in pre-trial detention would also worsen his financial situation, emphasizing that he has not performed for some time due to family issues and has not been receiving regular income from the company Onima.Nevertheless, the Basic Court of Pristina decided to impose pre-trial detention on the defendant Besart Kelmendi Gjesti, who is suspected of committing three criminal offenses.
Gjesti Gjykata Themelore ne Prishtine
