Suspect arrested in Belgium and charged with 2019 Hartlepool murder of Hemawand Ali Hussain

By Gbam Godwin On Jan 11, 2026

Suspect arrested in Belgium and charged with 2019 Hartlepool murder of Hemawand Ali Hussain.

A suspect has been extradited to the United Kingdom and accused of murdering a man in Hartlepool.

Four people have previously been convicted in connection with the savage execution of 32-year-old Hemawand Ali Hussain on September 14, 2025, at a residence on Charterhouse Street, off Oxford Road.

Cleveland Police have now announced that a fifth man, Sajmir Dodoveci, 40, was apprehended on December 23 at a train station in Belgium’s capital, Brussels, following an operation involving the force, the National Crime Agency (NCA), and foreign partners.

Dodoveci was remanded in custody on Friday at his first appearance at Teesside Magistrates’ Court in Middlesbrough, after being charged with murder.

The house in Charterhouse Street, Hartlepool, where Hemawand Ali Hussein was murdered in September 2019.

On Tuesday, January 13, he will appear before a judge at the neighboring Teesside Crown Court.

Dad-of-two Mr Hussein, a “brilliant father,” died instantaneously after being shot at point-blank range with a shotgun after being lured to the premises in what appeared to be a drug dispute.

Eugert Merizaj, 31, of Montague Street, Leicester, was convicted of murder in 2022 and sentenced to at least 32 years in prison.

Noza Saffari, 40, of Park Lane, Middlesbrough, was sentenced to 15 years in prison; Dorian Pirija, 34, of Trillo Avenue, Bolton, was sentenced to 19 years; and Qazim Marku, 25, of Maxwell Road, West Drayton, London, was also sentenced to 19 years.

Cleveland Police said a 34-year-old man was apprehended in Belgium in February 2024 and that plans are being made to extradite him to face trial.

Another suspect, 26-year-old Albanian Armando Marku, is still on the run.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Lyndsey Dale of Cleveland Police said: “Despite the passage of time, this case remains a priority for the force, and we’ve made significant progress through extensive investigations both in the UK and overseas.”

“This is a complex and difficult issue that has necessitated coordination across various jurisdictions over many years.

“Our officers and partner agencies, including international organisations and the NCA, have worked diligently during this time, and we continue to explore every available lead.

“I’d want to thank my staff and everyone involved for their ongoing collaboration and for sharing our determination to get justice for Hemawand Ali Hussain and his family, no matter how long it takes.

“In recent months, our professional detectives have worked with law enforcement organizations across Europe, sharing intelligence and conducting thorough investigations.

“These multinational inquiries were critical in creating new lines of investigation that led in the most recent arrest.

She said further: “All our thoughts remain with Mr Hussain’s family and with his wife and sons who are being kept up to date with developments throughout.”

Detective Inspector Dale stated that “even the smallest detail could assist our investigation” in the search for Armando Marku, who is thought to be abroad.

She went further: “When Mr Marku sees this update, as I am sure he will, I’d urge him to come forward and hand himself into to local law enforcement since it’s only a matter of time before the police come to him and effect his arrest.”