The mother of 21-year-old Nurai Serikbay, who was murdered, has commented on the verdict handed down the day before to the accused, Sherkhan Aymakhan, reports infohub.kz.
As previously reported, the trial in the high-profile murder case of Nurai Serikbay has concluded in Shymkent. Sherkhan Aymakhan was sentenced to life imprisonment. Additionally, the court ordered the convicted man to pay 25 million tenge in compensation for moral damages and 5 million tenge for legal fees to the victim's side.
The relatives of the deceased girl believe that even life imprisonment is too lenient. Nurai Serikbay's mother, Aigul Sagymbekova, stated: "I am satisfied with this verdict because there is no other punishment, no death penalty. He should not be released for the rest of his life. Although he does not even deserve this punishment, because he will be alive."
The defendant and his defense disagree with the court's decision. Sherkhan Aymakhan's lawyer, Yesbolat Kurmanbai, noted: "We disagree with the qualification under Article 125-1, as there was no fact of coercion into marriage. As for Article 115-1, after October 5, he attempted to resume the relationship. No matter how serious the crime, I believe that the punishment should be fair and in accordance with the relevant articles of the Criminal Code."
As a reminder, 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, then resisting, while the young man beats her and stabs her. He then flees the scene.
Later, the suspect was detained 10 kilometers from Shymkent in an open area. According to the relatives of 21-year-old Nurai Serikbay, he was a stalker. In April, the suspect was sent to a specialized institution. An examination found the man sane, and at the end of May, he was transferred back to Shymkent from a medical center in Talgar.
The trial began in July in Shymkent, with the prosecutor reading the indictment detailing the crime. According to the investigation, Nurai Serikbay sustained 35 stab wounds. During the judicial debates, the prosecution requested a life sentence for the accused. Additionally, the victim's family demanded over 10 billion tenge in compensation for material and moral damages from the defendant.