Diamonds international heist: Jailed accomplice refuses to testify against Muka brothers

A man sentenced to 4 years in jail for complicity in the 2017 armed robbery of Diamonds International in Tigné has been jailed for an additional 2 months, together with a €3,000 fine after refusing to testify against his accomplices.

Artan Coku, a 31-year-old Albanian man had been jailed last February last year after admitting to having helped with the preparation and logistics of the hold-up, which was later carried out, allegedly by Daniel Muka, his brother Begtash and Ramazan Hysa who are still facing related charges. Coku had told the police that the stolen jewellery was going to be sent to Bari, in Italy and eventually sold in Albania.

The shop had been robbed by two robbers wearing masks and wigs, reportedly wielding a shotgun, pistol, batons and axes on 5 October 2017. Two men and a woman, the shop’s manager, a salesman and a shop assistant, had been inside the outlet at the time of the incident.  

They had ordered a shop assistant to give them the jewellery, but he had refused to comply and was assaulted for his efforts, suffering a leg injury in the process. A security officer who tried to intervene received a head wound. The robbers had then smashed a number of windows and display cases before stealing some €333,000. Daniel Muka was arraigned first, with Coku being charged some weeks later. Begtash Muka was later also arraigned after DNA evidence tied him to the scene.

Besides the four-year prison sentence, the Court had also ordered Coku to pay a third of the court’s costs, amounting to over €14,500. The cost of repairs to the shop targeted by the gang was in excess of €65,000.

Coku had been supposed to testify against the brothers, each of whom are undergoing separate criminal proceedings in relation to the heist, but when he took the stand, he had refused to give evidence, his lawyer citing fears for the witness’ safety and that of his family. 

Magistrate Joseph Gatt ruled that this argument did not provide a defence to the Albanian, because it was not one of the circumstances contemplated by the law for a witness to be exempted from testifying.

Upholding Coku’s argument would mean that anyone could avoid having to testify by citing this fear, said the magistrate, noting that no evidence had been before the court to show that the witness had received any threats.

The court sentenced Coku to an additional 2 months in prison, and imposed a €3,000 fine.

Superintendent James Grech prosecuted.