The accused in the murder case of 21-year-old student Nurai Serikbai has been placed in a specialised facility in Talgar. The victim's family fear that he may avoid criminal liability if he is declared mentally incompetent.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE SUSPECT'S CONDITION
According to "Channel 7", several examinations have already been conducted as part of the investigation — first in Shymkent, then in Almaty.
"God only knows when this process will end. I've heard they can be treated there for 10 years, 15 years without any problems, that's what I know, maybe even longer. This person could escape punishment. We want all this to end as soon as possible, for this person to take full responsibility as soon as possible," said the victim's brother, Sultan Serikbai.
Relatives believe the suspect was aware of his actions at the time of the crime. However, the final conclusions of the examinations have not yet been made public.
The lawyer for the injured party, Aiankhan Omarov, reported that the investigation has been ongoing for three months. A number of examinations have been ordered, including to assess the accused's mental state.
He stressed that due to the secrecy of the investigation, the details of the case are not being disclosed, and final conclusions are not yet available.
HOW EVENTS UNFOLDED
The tragedy occurred on 11 January. Footage from surveillance cameras circulated online shows a man pursuing a girl; she tries to run away and resist, after which he stabs her and flees.
The suspect — a 28-year-old resident of the Turkistan Region — was arrested two days later, 10 km from Shymkent.
The situation caused a public outcry. On 20 January, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered an assessment of the actions of the Shymkent police. Subsequently, staffing decisions were made.
Later, the case was reclassified under the article "murder committed with extreme cruelty". The penalty provides for 15 to 20 years' imprisonment or life imprisonment.