The Basic Court of Prishtina has sentenced the accused, Endrit Nika, to 18 years in prison. Nika was charged with the murder of an Argentine citizen in Fushë Kosovë in 2023.
The accused was brought to court under high security measures.
Family members of the Argentine victim, Maria Clara Urdangaray, were present during the verdict announcement.
The presiding judge, Gazmend Bahtiri, stated that in the name of the people, Endrit Nika is found guilty of the criminal offense of aggravated murder and is sentenced to 18 years in prison.
“In the name of the people, in this trial, the accused Endrit Nika is found guilty of the criminal offense of aggravated murder. Accordingly, the court, based on the provisions of the Penal Code of the Republic of Kosovo and the Code of Criminal Procedure of Kosovo, sentences Endrit Nika to 18 years in prison. This sentence will take effect from the day the judgment becomes final. The time Nika has already spent in pre-trial detention, starting from August 1, 2023, will be credited toward this sentence. The pre-trial detention will continue until the judgment becomes final, but not exceeding the length of the imposed sentence. The accused is also ordered to pay €1,000 in court costs and an additional €50 as a victim compensation fee,” Bahtiri said.
Judge Bahtiri justified the 18-year prison sentence for Nika.
“In the name of the people, in this trial, the accused Endrit Nika is found guilty of the criminal offense of aggravated murder. Accordingly, the court, based on the provisions of the Penal Code of the Republic of Kosovo and the Code of Criminal Procedure of Kosovo, sentences Endrit Nika to 18 years in prison. This sentence will take effect from the day the judgment becomes final. The time Nika has already spent in pre-trial detention, starting from August 1, 2023, will be credited toward this sentence. The pre-trial detention will continue until the judgment becomes final, but not exceeding the length of the imposed sentence. The accused is also ordered to pay €1,000 in court costs and an additional €50 as a victim compensation fee,” Bahtiri said.
Judge Bahtiri justified the 18-year prison sentence for Nika.
“The body of evidence has been completed, excluding any other possible explanation of the events. It has been established beyond a reasonable doubt that Endrit Nika, through his actions, fulfilled all the objective and subjective elements of the criminal offense for which he is found guilty,” Bahtiri said.
The prosecution filed charges against Nika on February 11, 2025. He was accused of, on August 1, 2023, at a hotel in Fushë Kosovë, following a prior disagreement with his girlfriend, intentionally depriving the now-deceased M.K-U of life. Nika allegedly continued the assault, striking and pushing the victim into a corner of the room from which she could not escape, then removed the window frame and threw her from the sixth floor of the hotel. As a result of the injuries sustained, the victim later died at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo (QKUK), despite medical treatment.
