Oct 18, 2024 – Albania’s Special Court against organised crime and corruption has sentenced former Constitutional Court judge, Fatos Lulo, to nine months in prison, later converted into the requirement to complete 80 hours of public service over the next six months. Lulo was found guilty of concealing his wealth, a charge he has denied.
The prosecution had sought a one-year prison sentence, recommending it be converted into two years of probation. However, Lulo’s insistence on his innocence did not sway the court’s final ruling.
Lulo’s undeclared assets were previously central to his dismissal from the Constitutional Court in March 2018, during Albania’s recent re-evaluation process of judges and prosecutors. His removal was upheld by the Vetting Appeals College.
Key concerns in Lulo’s financial declarations included an unexplained $100,000, which he claimed was a gift from his sister, and a commercial unit on “Rruga e Durrësit” in Tirana. The unit, covering 172 square metres, was declared as purchased for $120,000, yet registered at a significantly lower value.
In April 2021, the Special Prosecutor’s Office placed this property under seizure, along with assets belonging to former Constitutional Court president Bashkim Dedja and former Supreme Court judge Shkëlzen Selimi.
