Special Prosecutor's Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has arrested this Wednesday two officials who are accused of corruption after investigations carried out in the Directorate of Prisons.

Authorities revealed that the arrested are Agron Balla and Klodian Gjeci who, in cooperation with each other, took bribes to hire people in the Directorate of Prisons.

Local media reported that the arrested are employees of the Durrës Prison, which in cooperation with each other promised them employment against 3 thousand euros, near the prisons.

However, their arrest was made by the Durrës police, while the preliminary investigations for this criminal proceeding are ongoing and have not yet been completed.

"Special Prosecutor's Office against Corruption and Organized Crime has conducted investigations in relation to criminal proceedings no. 18 of 2021, which refers to the criminal offense of "Exercising illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", carried out in collaboration, provided from articles 245/1 and 25 of the Criminal Code.

From the investigative actions carried out in connection with this criminal proceeding, in cooperation with the judicial police in the Internal Control Service in the Prison System, suspicions have been created that the citizens Klodian Gjeci and Agron Balla, in cooperation with each other, have requested and received unjust material benefits, in the form of monetary sums, in order to exert illegal influence on the General Directorate of Prisons. The monetary sums were requested and received with the aim of making possible the employment of a citizen in the structures under the General Directorate of Prisons.

In the framework of the preliminary investigations of this criminal proceeding, at the request of the Special Prosecutor's Office against Corruption and Organized Crime in Tirana, with decision no. 55, dated 06.06.2023 of the Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime in Tirana, is located:

- Determination of the security measure "arrest in prison" provided by Article 238 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for the person under investigation K.Gj, suspected of the criminal offense "Exercising illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", committed in collaboration, provided by articles 245/1 and 25 of the Criminal Code.

- Determination of the security measure "arrest in prison" provided by Article 238 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for the person under investigation A.B, suspected of the criminal offense "Exercising illegal influence on persons exercising public functions", committed in cooperation , provided by articles 245/1 and 25 of the Criminal Code.

The judicial police services of the Durrës Police Directorate have executed on 06.06.2023 the personal security measures imposed on the persons under investigation above", said the SPAK announcement.