The mystery of the disappearance of the Albanian-American Thoma Sotiri in 1978, former vice-president of “Vatra”, after the arrest by the Security and the denunciation of the two waiters of the Hotel “Dajt”, Kiço and Jani, from Leskovik 

 By Kastriot Dervishi

Memorie.al / He was an American citizen, but of Albanian nationality. He came to Albania for the second time, but he was arrested, sentenced and imprisoned, and as a result he died while serving his sentence. Surely the communist government has used all possible machinations, lying that the American citizen has been repatriated. The only reason was the nostalgia he had with him. Seeing him alone, without anyone, they saw the actions they took as reasonable. The American citizen, his name was Thoma Gaqo Sotiri, born in Vithkuq, in 1920 and resident in Spinglield, USA.

I had emigrated in 1936, at the age of 16, a year after my father, mother and brother had gone there. Since that time, he has worked with Fan Noli, whom he accompanied home from church. In the years 1941-1947, he was mobilized with the American army. As a veteran wounded in the war, he received a military pension. In the years 1951-1953, he was elected vice president of the “Vatra” organization.

It goes with the “Liria” newspaper, but since Fan Noli died, he had no connection with it. He had previously been in Albania, in September-November 1972. In the USA, he had a brother and two nephews: Thanas Pandi Sotiri (Arthur P. Soter) and Dhionis Pandi Sotiri (Deniz P. Soter), who was bankers by profession. He also had a sister, in Bridgeport.

Thoma Sotiri arrived on 13.9.1975 in Rinas, with passport no. F1556936. During the customs check, over-the-counter items such as 8 watches, silk scarves and women’s stockings were seized. No one met him at the airport. Alone, he stayed at the “Dajti” hotel, where he spoke on the phone with Koçi Lubonja. He returned to “Dajti”.

There he invites the waiters, Kiço and Jani, to drink a beer in the tavern, talking about different things. He stayed a few days in the hotel, and then he left for Korça. He knew Koçi  Lubonja in his childhood, because he was friends with his brother, Xhafer Cenko Lubonja (proclaimed martyr). You had found Kochi since 1972, during your first visit.

Arrest

Thomai’s second visit did not last more than a week. The moment that would go to Korçë was chosen, while the reports of the waiters and the musician of the “Dajti” hotel were used. The reports are dated 17.9.1975, before the operational worker, Mëno Deda. Basically, it’s the two waiters from Leskovik.

In confrontations, the defendant admits to general conversations, but denies ever having seen the musician. The conversations had to do with expressions that; “Abaz Kupi and Hasan Dosti were great political figures, because the USA had a good 6th Fleet, because it possessed the atomic bomb”, etc. The decision to start the criminal case against Thomai was taken on 20.9.1975, by the investigator of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Vangjel Kote.

The next day, Thomai was arrested in Korça, by investigators Nasho Gjinopulli. A personal check was made and 935 dollars and some lek were found. In the house of his uncle, Josif Strati, where he lived in Korça, the other investigator, Bashkim Asllani, checked the clothes and, among other things, noted: “Two suitcases, 7 canoes, 12 ties, 9 socks, 14 men’s shirts, glasses, combs, 6 men’s suits, 20 gold pieces of the 20-franc type, etc.”

The day after the arrest, investigator Nasho Gjinopulli, in the presence of investigator Sali Bundo, informs him that; is accused of agitation and propaganda. The defendant denies the charge. “I, the above conversations, did not say them with any bad intention, but who knows, how Kiço and others took them from me” – he says in the investigation dated 16.10.1975. Asked by the investigator, he said that he did not remember the conversations, as the witnesses told him.

On 8.1.1976, the investigator Nasho Gjinopulli, with the approval of the prosecutor of Tirana, Isamedin Resnja, approved the indictment against the American citizen Thoma Sotiri, who was accused; “For the development of hostile activity, in the form of agitation and propaganda, against popular power”.

He is quoted as saying: “America is a strong country militarily and no other country can compare with it. You have nothing to do. America can wipe out Albania, with an atomic bomb, even Greece, not counting you. America has a powerful fleet, which you cannot afford, because you are a small country, you do not have modern weaponry…”!

He partially accepted the charge in court

Deputy Prosecutor Andon Çerepi gave a political speech, where she emphasized that; it was considered a crime figure “boasting the military and economic potential of America”, because this was “sharp propaganda”. He spoke about the 28 thousand martyrs, about the 4th congress of the Democratic Front, about the heroic Vietnamese people, etc.

With decision no. 63, dated 7.2.1976, the Tirana District Court, presided over by Shegush Hakani, assistant judges Ikbale Karaj and Petrit Baxhaku, declared him guilty and based on article 73 of the Criminal Code, sentenced him to 5 years of imprisonment, and the confiscation of the items he had with him, leaving only 4,350 lek for personal use.

It was left in force by the Criminal College of the Supreme Court, with decision n. 67, dated 27.2.1976. Thomai died on 24.7.1978, in the prison hospital in Tirana and was buried in Tufina. It was designated for him, grave no. 6. Memorie.al