Taldykorgan Court Hears Forensic Testimony in Sherzat Polat Case, Interrupted by Earthquake

The trial into the killing of teenager Sherzat Polat continued in Taldykorgan with testimony from forensic experts, Orda.kz reports. Expert witnesses detailed the nature of Sherzat’s injuries and the medical findings related to his death.

Speaking for the defense, expert Mukhit Kusherov confirmed the cause of death as a stab wound to the chest. He stated that with timely emergency care, including surgery, Sherzat might have survived.

The wound was inflicted on the left side under the shoulder blade, between the fifth and sixth ribs, and penetrated into the chest cavity, which is an extremely life-threatening injury. In addition, small hemorrhages were recorded under the left eye. Hemorrhages were also present between the second, third, fourth and fifth fingers, as well as in the head area,
Kusherov stated, adding that these injuries were considered minor. 

On behalf of the victim’s family, expert Takhir Khalimnazarov — who previously testified in the trial of former Minister Kuandyk Bishimbayev — also testified.

A lot depends on the body type, volume, and depth of the wound. Each person has an individual reaction to blood loss. With a blood loss of 500-600 ml, loss of consciousness is already possible. But even with a loss of up to one liter of blood, with timely medical care, a person could be saved. He could be brought back,
he said. 

The blood loss was too severe and became the critical factor in his death.

The external injuries — bruises under the eye, on the head, between the fingers — could not in any way affect the internal blood loss. These injuries were minor and did not pose a risk to his life. The only fatal injury was a stab wound to the chest, which led to massive blood loss. It was this that caused death,
Khalimnazarov said. 

According to Vlast.kz, the lawyer for the victim's side, Meirman Shekeyev, asked the expert whether Sherzat Polat’s life could have been saved “if he had not been pursued after the injury, had not run away, and had not been beaten.”

The session was unexpectedly interrupted at around 4:00 p.m. by an earthquake. Participants felt rumbling, and the courtroom walls shook. The judge immediately suspended the hearing and ordered everyone to evacuate due to potential aftershocks. The defendants were moved to another room, and the rest of those present left the building.

The trial resumed 15 minutes later.

Witness and defendant questioning has already been completed. At the end of the previous session, a video was shown of a face-to-face questioning between Karzhaubay Nurymov and defendant Ravil Sakiyev, who is accused of attempted homicide and hooliganism.

In the video, Karzhaubay told Sakiyev that he saw him brutally beating Sherzat and then stabbing Sherzat’s uncle, Nurganat Gaipbayev. The defendant began apologizing.

On April 29, after a Supreme Court livestream ended, a video spread online showing the defendants in the Sherzat Polat case (faces blurred due to restrictions) leaving the courtroom laughing and smiling.

An internal review revealed that the incident occurred because technical staff failed to stop the livestream on time. Rustem Muksinov, Nazira Orazaliyeva, and Saule Kaidagulova received disciplinary actions.

Additionally, Judge Yerzhan Zhanuzakov issued a ruling regarding a questionable conversation that had been leaked online. Two court participants forgot to turn off their microphones during a break despite requirements.

It is unclear who the conversation is between.

The following exchange was recorded:

The judge instructed the prosecutor to verify the recording, identify the speakers, and determine the content of the conversation for appropriate measures. 

Original Authors: Sandugash Duysenova, post, Perizat Zharylkasyn