Sherzat Polat: Hearing Continues in Taldykorgan on June 2nd

During the trial, it emerged that a disk containing a video allegedly capturing a conversation between the defendants in pre-trial detention had vanished from the case materials. In the video, they allegedly discussed the night Sherzat was killed, Orda.kz reports.

A hidden camera had been installed in the detention center where Nurkiyas Ilyas and Abzal Shynasyl were held, according to lawyers representing the victim’s family.

They read the transcript aloud in court:

- That woman’s eyes are crossed, bro.
- Buddy, I didn’t notice.
- She was looking inside... What if she had been looking the other way? How come the cars behind us didn’t even hit her, huh? I hit her with a rock.
- I hit her too.
- I hit her, right in the same spot. I took a rock, they were standing one after the other. 
- There was a car on that side too. I threw it, hit it here.
- But you never said you shot. You must have forgotten. Don’t talk (about it). 

Lawyer Bagdagul Azhigaliyeva had planned to question the defendants about this conversation, but they denied that any such exchange had occurred.

The defense then requested the court to play the original video from disk number 5825.

However, the disk was missing from the case file. One prosecutor noted that the disk had earlier been declared invalid and removed from the list of material evidence.

No reason for this was given in court.

A separate transcript involving suspect Ravil Sakiyev was also presented. Investigators say the dialogue with an unidentified person was caught on another hidden camera in the detention center.

In the transcript, Sakiyev appears to describe the events of the night of the homicide, stating it was not he but another defendant, Abzal, who was responsible:

— My parents confuse me with China. They say, 'You struck him.' And this one, 'You stabbed him with a knife.'
— The one who shot — was he stabbed?
— Yes, four times. But Abzal was the one who stabbed. He said it himself — a kitchen knife, stabbed him lightly. But they still point to me. I tell them, 'You’re confused.'
— It was probably dark?
— You can see it on camera — the streetlights were on.
— Both my father and mother say that I stabbed the shooter with a knife. There will be an examination — it will show who held the knife. 

Sakiyev did not contest these statements in court.

The trial over the homicide of Sherzat Polat continues in Taldykorgan. Orda.kz is monitoring the proceedings.

Original Author: Aisha Aldayar