A court in Shymkent has sentenced Sherkhan Aymakhan to life imprisonment for the murder of 21-year-old Nurai Serikbai, and ordered him to pay 30 million tenge in compensation, reports infohub.kz.
According to the courts of Shymkent, on October 4, 2025, the defendant picked up Nurai in his car from Almaty and drove her towards Shymkent. Along the way, he threatened her, saying that if she resisted or took any other action, they would get into a traffic accident.
On October 5, 2025, he brought the girl to his home in Shymkent, despite her resistance, took her mobile phone, and forced her inside, compelling her to marry him. However, that same day, the victim's brother, having learned of the situation, picked her up at her request.
Between October and November 2025, the defendant repeatedly came to Almaty and Shymkent, searching for the victim at her rented apartment and her place of residence, and followed her. Additionally, he repeatedly tried to contact her by phone against her will, and after she changed her number, he found out the new one and continued calling.
On January 11, 2026, in Shymkent, the defendant invited Nurai for a walk in the park, but she refused. Taking offense at her answer, he began stabbing her with a pre-prepared hunting knife. Noticing a person approaching, he paused and ran 5-6 meters away, but then returned and, despite the girl lying on the ground with severe injuries, continued stabbing her in front of a witness, inflicting a total of 35 knife wounds and causing death with extreme cruelty.
The defendant's guilt is confirmed by his initial confession, witness testimony, physical evidence, and forensic examinations. The court found no mitigating or aggravating circumstances. Sherkhan Aymakhan was found guilty under Articles 99, Part 2, Point 5; 125-1, Part 1; and 115-1 of the Criminal Code, and was sentenced to life imprisonment for the cumulative crimes.
The civil lawsuit was partially satisfied: the court ordered the defendant to pay 25 million tenge in moral damages and 5 million tenge for legal fees. The verdict has not yet entered into force.
Recall that the crime was captured on video on the evening of January 11 in Shymkent at a pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Tolemetov and Utegenov streets. The footage shows the girl trying to run away and resist, while the young man beats and stabs her, then flees. The suspect was detained 10 km from Shymkent. According to relatives, he was a stalker. In April, he was sent to a specialized institution, and a psychiatric evaluation found him sane. The trial began in July, with the prosecutor reading the indictment. During the closing arguments, the prosecution requested a life sentence, and the victim's family demanded compensation exceeding 10 billion tenge.