Day 2 in the Lucerne kidnapping case "It's a Hollywood scene what's going on" - defense lawyer demands acquittal of his client.

On Monday and Tuesday, three men will stand trial at the Lucerne Criminal Court. They are accused of numerous offenses in connection with a kidnapping.

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09.16 hrs

My client is not a criminal

"My client should be acquitted in full. The confiscated items should be returned to him," the defense lawyer demands.

"We are dealing with a special case today." The defense attorney quotes the course of the crime from the indictment and says: "Honestly, it's a Hollywood scene what's going on." An accomplice had said this and Hamza F.'s defense lawyer had to agree.

The defense lawyer then talks about a sum of money that Hamza F. is said to have lent the victim. He says: "My client is not a criminal." He has a business and earns good money. The defense lawyer then refers to the car that the accused allegedly took from Endrin A., as stated in the indictment.

Then the lawyer adds: "The private plaintiff is a liar and a fraudster."

09.09 a.m.

"My client is guilty"

The court has opened the trial. The president gives the floor to Hamza F.'s defense lawyer. The lawyer begins with the words: "My client is guilty." But he is not guilty of the things he is accused of in the indictment.

09.00 a.m.

The second day of the trial begins

At 9 a.m., the court, defendant and defense counsel, as well as the public prosecutor's office, meet again in front of the Lucerne Criminal Court.

blue News is on site and follows the trial.

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That was trial day 1

On Monday and Tuesday, Dritan G., Hamza F. and Genti T. stand before the Lucerne Criminal Court. They are accused of kidnapping, threatening and raping Endrin A. in December 2022. Specifically, Endrin A. is said to have been in debt to Hamza F.

He then threatened him in December 2022. "Extra people came from Spain (...) to settle the matter with the money", according to the indictment, which is available to blue News. Dritan M. even threatened Endrin A. with death.

A few days later, the men met and threats were made again. Because Endrin A. had not raised the money, the men summoned him to Buchrain LU on December 8, 2022. In a party room, Endrin A. found himself confronted by five men, including Dritan M., Hamza F. and Genti T.

Pistols and AK-47 with them

According to the indictment, the men had a hammer, pistols and even an AK-47 with them. Pistol held in the mouth. The men then demanded that Endrin A. undress. They forcibly undressed A., beat him and inserted a beer bottle into his anus. One of the men, who is a fugitive and therefore not on trial, used a pair of garden shears to cut one of his little toes.

When Endrin A. was questioned on Monday morning, he was not very specific. He could not explain what the accused wanted with his cell phone. "They didn't want the cell phone right away," he says. The cell phone plays an important role. It becomes clear that A. did not want to release it to the investigating authorities. "I am a victim, I have a right to privacy," asserts Endrin A.

"Was there anything that the investigating authorities could have found that would not have been so pleasant for you?" asks the president. "No," says Endrin A. Why couldn't the investigating authorities themselves have judged what was important and what was not, the president asks. "Exactly, I have a right to privacy."

During the questioning, the court is also irritated. One of the lawyers wants to know whether Endrin A. can demonstrate what exactly happened in the room at the beginning, how it started. "So, should he hit you now or what do you have in mind?" asks one of the judges. Endrin A. says he doesn't want to demonstrate anything.

"Dubious previous history"

The court president says: "You were moderately cooperative during the investigation". Endrin A responds: "Yes, I was always very cooperative." Now he wants nothing more to do with the defendants. "I'm traumatized by these people," says Endrin A. in conclusion.

"We don't have to fool ourselves, the case history is dubious," said the public prosecutor in his summation after questioning the accused. Endrin A. had several contradictions in his statements. Even during the questioning in the morning, he had not been able to clear up these contradictions beyond doubt. "But that is not decisive. It's not about the plaintiff, but about what happened that evening. Anyone who moves in the millieu is also entitled to legal protection," said the public prosecutor.

In the situation in which A. found himself, it was not possible to remember every complex context and the exact sequence of events. The statements would be consistent with the investigation reports. The public prosecutor's office is demanding 5 years in prison and a 10-year ban from the country for all those involved.

Defense picks apart the indictment

The defense of Dritan G. Endrin A. took a different view, stating in a conversation that he himself was in possession of the video showing the penetration. He later told the police that he had only said this in order to obtain the video. "But at no time was he in possession of a video showing the penetration. Otherwise he would certainly have submitted it to the public prosecutor's office. Similar nonsense, you heard it, we already heard this morning. It was in no way credible." There is no video of penetration because there was no penetration. The only existing video had been made to expose Endrin A.

Dritan G. admits that he wanted to blackmail Endrin A. Regarding the accusations of kidnapping and deprivation of liberty, the lawyer says that the qualification of deprivation of liberty has not been met. "I heard from the public prosecutor today that G was not cooperative. I am still amazed. Apparently, from the prosecutor's point of view, only those who testify and admit something are cooperative."

The second day of the trial will follow on Tuesday. Then the defense lawyers of Hamza F. and Genti T. will speak before the duplicate, replica and last words follow. blue News will be ticking live from 9 am.

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16.50 h

Trial interrupted

The judge interrupts the trial for the day. The plea of the other two defense lawyers would take too long to be dealt with today. The trial will therefore continue tomorrow at 9 am.

4.47 p.m.

Expulsion from the country "disproportionate"

Expulsion from the country should be refrained from. Dritan G. had grown up in Switzerland, had hardly any roots in Serbia and had friends and family here. "An expulsion from the country would be disproportionate even if the sentence were severe." His serious illness also outweighed the public interest. "We have heard that he could also treat his illness in Serbia. As if that would be so easy," says the lawyer.

4.44 p.m.

"I'm still amazed"

Dritan G. admits that he wanted to blackmail Endrin A. Regarding the accusations of kidnapping and deprivation of liberty, the lawyer says that the qualification of deprivation of liberty has not been met. "I heard from the public prosecutor today that G was not cooperative. I am still amazed. Apparently, from the prosecutor's point of view, only those who testify and admit something are cooperative."

16:34

Inaccuracies in the pistol accusation

Dritan G. also denies that he ever had a pistol in his hand, let alone that he put one in Endrin A.'s mouth. "No pistol was found at the scene." There was also no trace of the second pistol mentioned in the indictment. During questioning in the morning, A. was no longer able to make any precise statements about the pistol. "But it is unlikely that something so important can no longer be remembered."

Even during the first interrogation, A. no longer knew which hand the pistol had been in. "But what he said was that he was 100 percent sure that the person who committed the crime had his finger on the trigger. How could he know something like that?" asks the lawyer.

4.27 p.m.

"There was no penetration"

Endrin A. had stated in a conversation that he himself was in possession of the video. He later told the police that he had only said this in order to obtain the video. "But at no time was he in possession of a video showing the penetration. Otherwise he would certainly have submitted it to the public prosecutor's office. Similar nonsense, you heard it, we already heard this morning. It was in no way credible."

There is no video of penetration because there was no penetration. The only existing video had been made to expose Endrin A.

4.21 p.m.

No DNA on beer bottle

The accusation of sexual assault is non-existent, the lawyer continues. There are no documented injuries on the body part in question. The private plaintiff had not reported the injury, the lawyer for Dritan G. continued. In addition, the actual insertion of the glass bottle in the anal area would "undoubtedly have led to the most serious injuries". "It is incomprehensible why Endrin A. had reported bruises, bumps, etc., but not the injury that would have supported the most serious accusation."

The fact that the crime scene had allegedly been cleaned was irrelevant. Because no DNA of the victim was found on the beer bottle either. "Why should the bottle have been cleaned and then left at the crime scene anyway?" asks the lawyer.

4.16 p.m.

"Toe would undoubtedly have been severed"

"The injuries would have been far worse if the victim had been beaten with steel hammers for more than 20 minutes," the lawyer continues. It is much more likely to have been rubber or plastic hammers.

Now it's about the garden shears. These are said to have been squeezed shut. "That certainly can't be the case," says the lawyer. "If the secateurs had been squeezed shut, the toe would undoubtedly have been severed." Dritan G. was not involved. He had not used scissors, but had been present.

16.07 hrs

Dritan G. wants partial acquittal

Dritan G.'s lawyer is calling for a majority acquittal. However, he should be found guilty on the core charges of kidnapping and deprivation of liberty and attempted extortion. A partial prison sentence of 30 months should be imposed, of which 6 months should effectively be served.

The lawyer said that the prosecution was talking about several hammers hitting the defendant at the same time. However, this is not the case. Testimonies had revealed that "the man with the most clothes, i.e. not my client, had a hammer".

Dritan G. was not actually mentioned as a defendant in the witness statements. The witness did not initially incriminate Dritan G. before the police. The police later added in the report that it was assumed that the witness was afraid of Dritan G. and the Hells Angels. "However, this statement cannot be upheld."

3.40 p.m.

Plea finished

The public prosecutor closes his summation after around 1.5 hours. The judge interrupts the trial for 15 minutes

3.33 p.m.

No cooperation from Genti T.

Genti T. had not cooperated either. However, he was also significantly involved in the crime. Here too, the public prosecutor demands a prison sentence of 5 years and a 10-year ban from the country.

3.31 p.m.

Hamza F. should also be expelled from the country

Now it's about Hamza F. He had corresponded with the victim and made recordings of the crime. He has shown no remorse and has not cooperated. Here too, the public prosecutor's office is requesting a 5-year prison sentence.

"F. has no connection to Switzerland. Under these circumstances, no case of hardship is apparent." Therefore, a 10-year expulsion from the country should be imposed.

3.29 p.m.

"Serious danger to public safety in Switzerland"

Now the public prosecutor comes to the guilty plea. "The accused were massively violent in the context of vigilante justice and did not shy away from sexually assaulting the victim". They also recorded the torture.

The public prosecutor said that Dritan G. already had a criminal record. He had been uncooperative during the investigation and had played a significant role in the crime. A prison sentence of 5 years and 10 days will be handed down. Nothing much is known about him, but he was born and raised in Switzerland. His entire environment was here. For this reason, the public prosecutor considers this to be a case of particular hardship. However, the accused had committed a serious crime and was involved with the Hells Angels. "He poses a serious threat to public safety in Switzerland," said the public prosecutor. He is requesting a 10-year ban from the country.

3.11 p.m.

No traces - despite admitted presence

Dritan G. had already written in a chat beforehand that it would be "better to take Vaseline with you". "This shows that the penetration with the beer bottle was probably planned well in advance," said the public prosecutor. The approach was extremely professional. "There is no other explanation for the fact that no traces could be found despite the admitted presence of several people."

The defendants had behaved in an extremely coordinated manner. That is why the actions of the others should also be attributed to them. Genti T. had also been present from the beginning and had helped with the tying up.

3.07 p.m.

Contradictory statements regarding Genti T.

According to Endrin A.'s initial statements to the cantonal police, Genti T. was not present at the first meeting. He later changed this statement. The public prosecutor assumes that T. was only present at the second meeting. "As time went on, he was probably no longer able to remember the events exactly," the prosecutor explains.

3 p.m.

"Stark contrast to the statements of the accused"

The witness who had picked up Endrin A. in Buchrain LU at the time had noticed injuries on him. "This is in stark contrast to the statements of the accused."

Dritan M. had largely refused to give evidence. Hamza F. testified at the trial that "terrible pictures were taken, but with the consent of Endrit A." Genti T. also remained silent for the most part during the interrogation when it came to the crime, according to the public prosecutor. "If everything had just been faked, they would hardly have flown in a top international criminal from Spain."

The prosecutor says Genti T.'s testimony is not credible. "According to his testimony, he came to Switzerland for the World Cup, which was not held here, but in Qatar." In addition, he and another defendant had rented a hotel room in eastern Switzerland, but after just a few days he had repeatedly traveled in and out.

2.52 p.m.

Shisha in AK-47 form

The public prosecutor says that during searches, among other things, a shisha water pipe modeled on an AK-47 was seized. "It seems understandable that Endrin A. thought this imitation was real in this situation."

Several seized images are then described. Essentially, the mistreatment of Endrin A. is visible. According to the public prosecutor, the man with protective gloves is repeatedly visible.

A person wearing conspicuous clothing was also visible. It was precisely this clothing that was later seized from Hamza F. "Everything points to the fact that Hamza F. took these photos and videos."

2.48 pm

"Gay dog" and other insults

The movements of the accused are documented with cell phone data, among other things, the public prosecutor explains. Dritan G., Hamza F. and Endrin A. had exchanged information in a chat that has since been secured by the authorities. Dritan G. had called A. a "gay dog", among other things. Other insults were also used in the chats, which the public prosecutor describes as "not exactly friendly".

2.43 pm

Top criminal is said to have worn protective equipment

A. dared to make statements. "That is a huge step and not a matter of course in this milieu." In addition, a top international criminal "flew to Switzerland especially to be beaten up." He wore protective equipment so as not to leave any traces behind. "They also met in the Lucerne area. That shows that it wasn't just about a conversation - otherwise they could have met somewhere other than a place to which none of the people had any connection."

2.40 pm

Many contradictions - "But that's not the point"

Those present at the first meeting on 5 December had initially suggested leaving the car there as a depot. Shortly before he left the building, he was suddenly told that he would never see the car again, the public prosecutor explains. However, there was no physical violence. Rather, there were already known notes with demands. This was written by Dritan G..

Genti T. was also present, "but not always at the forefront", he testified. "We don't have to fool ourselves, the background is dubious." Endrin A. had several contradictions in his statements, the prosecutor said. Even during questioning this morning, he had not been able to clear up these contradictions beyond doubt. "But that is not decisive. It's not about the plaintiff, but about what happened that evening. Anyone who moves in the millieu is also entitled to legal protection," said the public prosecutor.

In the situation in which A. found himself, it was not possible to remember every complex context and the exact sequence of events. The statements would be consistent with the investigation reports.

2.31 p.m.

"Dismember and throw into the forest"

A message arrived later. He was then driven to the Hells Angels clubhouse in Lucerne. He gave his PIN code there. "A Hells Angel came out and told him he was lucky. They had actually ordered him to be dismembered and thrown into the forest," the public prosecutor recounted.

The three defendants are on trial today on the basis of these accounts. Endrin A. testified a total of four times before the Lucerne public prosecutor's office. In the meantime, Endrin A. had stated that he had repaid part of the debt.

2.21 p.m.

Public prosecutor explains what happened

The public prosecutor essentially recounts the events. Hamza F. had lent Endrin A. money and then demanded around four times as much money back. On December 5, 2022, he met with them and made threats. A rental car was also taken from him.

Three days later, the well-known scenes took place. "They beat him at full throttle without saying a word," the public prosecutor quotes the accused as saying. After a few minutes, Hamza stopped, then came back with wire. He was then tied up and forcibly undressed. A beer bottle was then inserted anally.

All those present repeatedly beat him. They also pressed on his left toe with pliers. After he refused to hand over the pin code of his cell phone, a pistol was pressed into his mouth, the public prosecutor continued.

2.15 p.m.

Trial continues

The trial now continues at the Lucerne Criminal Court. The prosecutor's plea follows.

12.45 p.m.

Lunch break

Genti T.'s defense requests that camera images from Zurich Airport be evaluated or that the parking ticket be found. The court accepts this, adding that it would be taken into account if necessary. This is the lunch break, the trial continues at 2.15 pm.

12.40 p.m.

Left after 45 minutes

Genti T. is convinced that Endrin A.'s aim with this charge is to get as much money as possible from the state. Other men could also testify that he left after 45 minutes. He was also not present during Endrin A.'s transportation to Lucerne.

12.31 p.m.

Genti T. is said to have requested GPS evaluation

Genti T. says that he saw Endrin A. for the first time ever on December 8. He had not even been able to observe an argument. He was asked by Hamza F. if he could bring the car back after the trip to the airport. Genti T. is said to have requested right at the beginning that the GPS data be analyzed. "This would have shown that Endrin A. was lying." He was there by chance.

12.22 p.m.

"I wouldn't do something like that"

His company is currently closed. He is a sole trader. Hamza F. was a colleague of his and they had met during the summer vacations. F. had invited him to Switzerland in December 2022, when the FIFA World Cup was in full swing. At no point was there any talk of debt. "I never came to Switzerland in my life to collect debts. I wouldn't do something like that."

12.13 p.m.

Center of life in Serbia

He has a company in Serbia, no large assets and no debts. He is single. The center of his life is in Serbia. He is asked what it would mean for him if he was no longer allowed to come to Switzerland. His answer: "Nothing."

12.12 p.m.

"Can't be in two places at the same time"

He had never taken action against Endrin A., nor had he touched him physically. A., on the other hand, testified that he had also been assaulted by him. "That's not true, he's lying." He had not been at the Hells Angels bar, but had gone to the airport. "How can that be? You can find that out from the GPS data. I can't be in two places at the same time." During the journey to the airport, he and the unknown man had not spoken to each other. "He was on the phone the whole time"

12.05 p.m.

Man driven to the airport

He had never been to these premises before, says Genti T. Hamza F. and T. had been flashed by a speed radar in the Mercedes in question, what exactly were they doing with the car? That is not clear from the questioning. He did not know that a meeting had already taken place on December 5.

He himself had been drinking coffee. He did not know what had happened in the pub during this time. He then drove an unknown man to the airport. According to the files, this was probably the man wanted by Interpol, who is now a fugitive and is therefore not on trial.

Hamza T. had sent photos of torture, such as a pair of garden shears or a shoe in his mouth. He had seen these photos during the interrogation. He was only there for 45 minutes and then drove to the airport. "Nobody touched him during the time I was there." But he did not know what happened afterwards.

11.55 a.m.

No knowledge of debts

Genti T. says he had no knowledge of the money he owed. He was there by chance on December 8. Genti T. and Hamza F. had told him they were going for a coffee on the spot. He had not known about money owed to the Hells Angels or anything similar.

11.49 a.m.

Genti T. is now being questioned

The questioning of Hamza F. is now finished. Now Genti T. is questioned. He announces that he wants to make statements.

11.39 a.m.

Two flights to Switzerland - but none from Switzerland

Hamza F. is asked what Dritan G. and Genti T. have to do with the case. "They have no connection to the case." Otherwise, F. does not answer many questions - what role the Hells Angels played, what happened to the car. F. also does not want to make any statements about the flight dates. According to him, there were two flights from abroad to Switzerland within a few days, but no flight out of Switzerland.

Files on keys and car sales are also an issue, but here too F. does not want to comment. "Endrin A.'s accusations are not true, they are lies," says F., without going into more detail. "I have a wife and three children", says F., the relationship is good. He doesn't want to say what he lived on before. His wife and children live in Macedonia. What would a deportation mean for him? "No statement." He owns land in Macedonia and wants to farm there again later, but it becomes clear from the questioning.

11.33 a.m.

"You heard what I heard."

Dritan G. is also questioned about Endrin A.'s statements. G. does not go into this in detail, merely saying: "You also heard what I heard". When asked whether A. was right with his statements, G. says: "I'll leave that to the court." This concludes the questioning of G. Hamza F. is now questioned.

11.27 a.m.

"I am a nice person"

He sees himself as well integrated, says Dritan G. "I was given this environment because I am a nice person." The speaker says that a deportation from the country is also under discussion. "That would be my downfall," he says. "My environment down there (in Serbia, editor's note) is incredibly far away from me. I have friends here, my family is here. I am Swiss."

The co-judge pointed out to G. that he had several previous convictions. Whether he understands that as good integration. "My understanding of good integration is that you say hello to each other and treat people well."

11.14 a.m.

Now Dritan G. is being questioned

The questioning of the three accused now begins. Dritan G. will be questioned first, says the judge. An interpreter will also translate parts. Dritan G. says he will not make any statements beyond the police report. "It is your right not to make any statements. But it is also my right to ask you questions. Then we'll play the game every time," says the referee.

The referee asks whether there are any indications on the notes that the Hells Angels have made demands of Endrin A.. Dritan G. does not want to say anything about this either - or whether he himself is a member of the Hells Angels. He had not physically attacked the victim.

He himself suffers from a severe form of Crohn's disease and has many friends who could distract him. He had been on sick leave for six years.

10.47 a.m.

"Think about it every day"

"I think about that day in December every day," says Endrin A. Then the interrogation is over. The judge orders a 15-minute break.

10.38 a.m.

Irritation in court

One of the lawyers wants to know if Endrin A. can demonstrate what exactly happened in the room at the beginning, how it started. One of the judges reacts with irritation. "So, should he hit you now or what do you have in mind?" Endrin A. says he doesn't want to demonstrate anything. "But they came at me from the very first second."

10.35 a.m.

"Everyone knows what an AK-47 is"

Now the defense lawyers put their questions to the accused. Endrin A. does not want to answer several questions. Among other things, he is asked how well he knows about weapons. "Hardly, only from TV and the internet", says Endrin A. He is then asked why he knows exactly that it is an AK-47. "Everyone knows what an AK-47 is."

10:14 a.m.

What role does the cell phone play?

He couldn't explain what the accused wanted with his cell phone. "They didn't want the cell phone right away," he says. The cell phone plays an important role. After the questioning, the court president wants to know again why he didn't release the cell phone. "I am a victim, I have a right to privacy", asserts Endrin A. "Would there have been anything that the investigating authorities could have found that would not have been so pleasant for you?" asks the president. "No," says Endrin A.

Why couldn't the investigating authorities themselves have judged what was important and what was not, the president asks. "Exactly, I have a right to privacy." The court president says: "You were moderately cooperative during the investigation". Endrin A replies: "Yes, I was always very cooperative."

"I don't want to have anything more to do with these people. I'm traumatized by these people," says Endrin A. in conclusion. The defense lawyers are now talking to the accused.

10.06 a.m.

Who was on the trip to Lucerne?

Now they talk about the trip to Lucerne. Endrin A. says that Genti T. was sitting next to him in the car. The court points out that T. says he drove to the airport. "But I know that he was in the car with me to Lucerne." They had driven to the Hells Angels' neighborhood. "I don't know why that was. The Hells Angels had nothing to do with the incident."

10.04 a.m.

"Weapon held to the head"

There were weapons involved. No shots were fired. "But a gun was held to my head." The gun was loaded, but he no longer knows whether it was held to his mouth. Endrin A. repeatedly refers to the statements he made during the interrogation. "I'm in therapy and don't want to go into full detail any more, otherwise I won't feel well," says Endrin A.

9.59 a.m.

Lied in hospital

When he entered the room, several of the men were already standing there with a hammer in their hands. He was then tied up and stripped naked. "They wanted to humiliate me, made videos and talked about it publicly," says Endrin A. "While I was still there, they called people by video call." He was afraid for his life on the spot, says Endrin A.

When he went to the hospital after the crime, he initially said that he had fallen down the stairs. "But the doctor immediately realized that wasn't true."

9.53 a.m.

"It went full throttle"

Dritan G. had given his word that nothing would happen to him, Endrin A. continues. The court wants to know why he went to the second meeting even though he knew he couldn't pay. "G. took the piss out of me," says Endrin A. Dritan G. had sworn that nothing would happen to him. He thought, says Endrin A., that they could drive to the scene and sort it out in peace.

Initially, the meeting was scheduled at a petrol station. He still felt reasonably safe there because it was a public place. G. then told him it was too cold and that he should come upstairs. "Everything was already prepared on site. There was no talking, it was full speed ahead."

9.50 a.m.

"Didn't know what to do anymore"

Dritan G. initially played no part in the whole thing. "Then he suddenly contacted me." At an initial meeting on 5 December, he had to hand over his car, a Mercedes, to compensate for his debts. After the meeting, he went to hospital. "I no longer knew what to do."

9.47 a.m.

Around 25,000 francs in debt

Endrin A. says he owed Hamza F. around 25,000 francs. "I needed money and he helped me." The court referee asks why he did not want to disclose his cell phone during the interrogation. "After all, there was enough evidence that came together afterwards - and I am the victim."

9.40 a.m.

"I even visited him in hospital"

Endrin A. is now testifying. He had owed Hamza F. owed money. "The whole thing was between me and Hamza F." He knew Dritan G. well. "I was always on good terms with him, he abused my trust. I even visited him in hospital. But he was the one who set me up."

9.30 a.m.

Endrin A. is now being questioned

The accused are now led out of the courtroom. Endrin A. is led into the courtroom through a side door. The accused will follow the questioning via video.

9.24 a.m.

Pleas lasting several hours

The court president explains the course of the proceedings. It is a major trial that will continue today and tomorrow. Endrin A. would be questioned first, followed by the accused. This will be followed by the pleas of the public prosecutor and the defense lawyers. In total, it is expected to take around 4-5 hours.

9.13 a.m.

Endrin A. will be questioned later

Endrin A. is currently not in the courtroom. He will be questioned later in the day, the court president explains. He has asked not to be confronted with the defendants and is therefore waiting in a separate room.

9.05 a.m.

Trial begins

The trial begins. There is confusion right at the beginning because one of the defendants wants to have it translated into another language. However, thanks to the interpreters present, this is not a problem. The court president opens the proceedings.

8.58 a.m.

Start of trial delayed

The trial was originally scheduled to start at 9 am. However, the start is likely to be delayed: everyone involved is still waiting. The courtroom is heavily secured. The plainclothes police are on site, and there are several officers in uniform outside the court. blue News tickers live from Lucerne.

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On Monday and Tuesday, Dritan G., Hamza F. and Genti T. stand before the Lucerne Criminal Court. They are accused of kidnapping, threatening and raping Endrin A. in December 2022.

Specifically, Endrin A. is said to have been in debt to Hamza F. He then threatened him in December 2022. "Extra people came from Spain (...) to settle the matter with the money", according to the indictment, which is available to blue News. Dritan M. even threatened Endrin A. with death.

A few days later, the men met and threats were made again. Because Endrin A. had not raised the money, the men summoned him to Buchrain LU on December 8, 2022. In a party room, Endrin A. found himself face to face with five men, including Dritan M., Hamza F. and Genti T. According to the indictment, the men had a hammer, pistols and even an AK-47 with them.

Pistol held in the mouth

The men then demanded that Endrin A. undress. They forcibly undressed A., beat him and inserted a beer bottle into his anus. One of the men, who is a fugitive and therefore not on trial, used a pair of garden shears on one of A.'s little toes.

Hamza F. also held a pistol in A.'s mouth during the several hours of captivity and explained that "shooting is not good, it's better with a knife", whereupon they threatened him with a knife.

In the evening, Dritan M., Hamza F. and Genti T. were then taken to the club room of the "Hells Angels" in Lucerne. There the men withdrew to a room and finally let Endrin A. go after looking through his cell phone.

The list of charges is therefore long: the men are facing charges of attempted extortion, theft of property, assault, threats, deprivation of liberty, kidnapping and rape. The public prosecutor's office is demanding several years in prison and expulsion from the country.

The trial begins on Monday at 9 a.m. blue News is ticking live.