05 July 2014, 11:59
Russia's SC upholds verdict to natives of Chechnya in Taimaskhanov's kidnapping case
The verdict of the Supreme Court (SC) of Chechnya against three local residents convicted of kidnapping in 1999 of Galas Taimaskhanov, currently the Minister of Industry and Energy of Chechnya, has been left unchanged by the Supreme Court of Russia. This was reported by a law enforcement official from Chechnya.
Under the above case Zelimkhan Idigov was sentenced to 16 years, Alikhan Ilaev – to 14 and Alik Mamakaev – to 13 years in prison.
According to investigators, in 1998-1999, Idigov, Ilaev and Mamakaev were members of an organized grouping involved in kidnappings with later extortion of ransom. In January 1999, they kidnapped Galas Taimaskhanov in Grozny and kept him for six months, claiming a ransom of 1.5 million US dollars from his relatives. Taimaskhanov managed to run away.
A source from the Prosecutor's Office of Chechnya told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the convicts' defence objected to the verdict, finding it too severe, and appealed against it at the higher instance – the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, but the latter upheld the verdict.
Author: Muslim Ibragimov Source: CK correspondent
