The Court of Appeal with General Jurisdiction has decided to change the sentencing measure for Azgan Mërnica, sentencing him to 35 years in prison for the murder of the "Eagle" special forces officer, Novruz Cenalia. With this decision, the Appeal Court has removed the life sentence previously given by the Fier Court, replacing it with a lower sentence.
The tragic incident occurred on May 13, 2024, in the village of Baltëz, in the Fier district, where according to initial investigations, everything started from a police officer's intervention for a traffic violation. He had drawn the authorities' attention to the dangerous driving of the vehicle, which led to a verbal altercation between them.
The situation then escalated out of control when, according to the prosecution, Mërnica got out of the car and used a firearm against the 28-year-old officer, causing his death on the spot. The incident shocked public opinion, while the victim had only three years of service in the ranks of the "Eagle" special forces.
After the crime, the perpetrator fled the scene and remained at large for about two days before turning himself in to the authorities, following mediation and negotiations with his family.