Hearings on "Kaitov's case" continued in Karachayevo-Cherkessia

Yesterday, October 3, in the capital of Karachayevo-Cherkessia they continued hearing of the criminal case in relation to sixteen citizens of the Republic accused of killing seven persons in October 2004. Among the deceased was Rasu Bogatyrov, Deputy of the National Assembly of Karachayevo-Cherkessia, and his six friends. In the prisoner's box - Ali Kaitov, former son-in-law of the president of the Republic, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the OJSC "Kavkaz-Tsement," his friends and guards.

September 19, after a two-month break, the Supreme Court of Karachayevo-Cherkessia resumed the court sessions after the investigation had been completed. The representative of state prosecution read out his position, advocates of the victims and parents of those perished took the floor. We remind you that the prosecutor asked the court to penalize Ali Kaitov, organizer of the crime, with 20 years of deprivation of freedom in a strict custody, to his friends and accomplices Bostanov and Akbaev - life sentences, Romanenko and Ismajlov - 17 years of strict custody, Davydov - 16 years, Sobolev - 10 years and Ilyinskiy - 9 years. The defence asked the court to make a two-week break to prepare the presentation.

Yesterday, October 3, Ali Kaitov's advocates spoke to the court session. Kaitov refused to speak himself. Today, the floor was given to accused Davydov and his lawyer. Vladimir Postanyuk, advocate of the victims, told the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" from the courtroom that the advocates' speeches were very long and emotional. They claim complete innocence of their clients, however. According to Postanyuk, they have not yet moved any essential arguments in their favour.

Debates on Kaitov's case will probably last throughout the week.

It was reported earlier that Rasu Bogatyrov and his friends disappeared at night on October 11, 2004. Their relatives asserted that the young people, the elder still under thirty, went to the summer cottage of Ali Kaitov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the OJSC "Kavkaz-Tsement," near which machinegun shooting was heard for half an hour. Ali Kaitov was arrested on October 25 under the ruling of the Collegium of the Supreme Court of Karachayevo-Cherkessia. The remaining suspects were also detained. The bodies of the seven missing men were found on November 9 burnt in a desolated mine near aul Kumysh of the Karachaevskiy District of Karachayevo-Cherkessia.