The Dibër Judicial District Court has imposed the security measure "prison arrest" on the two brothers Kristi and Aleksandër Bushgjoka, accused of the kidnapping and murder of 23-year-old Renis Dobra, an event that occurred on July 8, 2025.
Both were arrested the day before during an operation codenamed "Operation 68", conducted in Tirana by the RENEA Special Forces and the State Police Operational Force.
Court sources indicate that the court session was accompanied by tensions and verbal clashes between the defendants and the jury. The debates began as soon as the prosecution requested the most severe security measure, while the brothers denied the charges and became involved in clashes with the jury.
The kidnapping and execution of Reni Dobra
According to preliminary investigations, brothers Kristi and Aleksandër Bushgjoka, along with their other brother, Fatjon Bushgjoka, and 55-year-old Petrit Çakrri (both previously arrested), are suspected of participating in the kidnapping and subsequent brutal murder of 23-year-old Renis Dobra. The young man's lifeless body was found in Lake Ulza, in the Shkopet area, a few days after his disappearance.
Sources from the investigation team suggest that the murder was committed with a rope - a carefully planned strangulation carried out after several days of pursuit.
Shocking details from the investigation: rental cars and hiding the body
Investigations have revealed a well-thought-out plan by the perpetrators, who for several days in a row used different rented cars – rented in Rinas and Yzberisht – to follow the victim's movements and avoid traces. The perpetrators attempted to remove the GPS devices from the vehicles, but were unsuccessful.
Through security camera footage and GPS signals, the police were able to reconstruct the perpetrators' itinerary and document their movements up to the moment of the murder. It is suspected that after the crime, the perpetrators put the 23-year-old's body in a vehicle and threw it into Lake Shkopet to hide the incident. The body surfaced a few days later, while the vehicle ended up in the water.
Aleksandër Bushgjoka, the youngest of the three brothers, is also suspected of helping in the attempt to remove the other brother, Fatjon, to Kosovo after the incident.
Operation "Operacionalja 68" and the arrest in Tirana
The arrest of the two brothers took place during a well-organized operation by special police structures. They were located in an apartment in Tirana and detained by RENEA without any resistance. According to the official announcement of the State Police, both were wanted for the criminal offense of “Kidnapping or holding a person hostage”, committed in collaboration. After the arrest, they were transferred to the Dibër Local Police Directorate for further procedural actions.
Accusations and ongoing investigations
The Dibra Prosecution has charged the four arrested with "Premeditated Murder", committed in collaboration, as well as "Kidnapping and holding a person hostage". Investigations are continuing to uncover the motives and full circumstances of the macabre event, while the involvement of other persons in this serious crime that has shocked public opinion is not ruled out.
