On Friday, the Basic Court of Ferizaj sentenced Valon Aliu to 24 years in prison for the 2024 killing of his 21-year-old ex-wife, Erona Cokli, which took place inside the Social Welfare Centre in Ferizaj.

Aliu was sentenced to a combined 24-year prison term, with 22 years for murder, one year for illegal firearm possession, and two years for intimidation.

Aliu and the now-deceased Erona Cokli were meeting at the Social Welfare Centre in Ferizaj to reach an agreement regarding their one-year-old child. The victim’s underage brother was also present at the meeting.

The Prosecution states that on April 12, 2024, in accordance with an agreement with the Social Welfare Centre, the defendant took his son home to get a haircut. Forty minutes later, he returned to the premises alone, without his child, and killed the 21-year-old woman.

According to the case file, following a verbal confrontation, the defendant fired a gun at the victim, striking her in the shoulder, and then also fired at her brother.

“As the victim attempted to flee the scene, she was shot two more times—once in the chest and once in the head,” the case file states.

After killing Erona Cokli, Aliu threatened another individual inside an office of the Social Welfare Centre. The person, identified in the case file as Q.Z., was reportedly one of the centre staff. According to the case file Aliu placed a gun against her forehead and shouted, “Shut up or I’ll shoot you as well,” in an act intended to intimidate and frighten her. 

The verdict can be appealed.

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