A court in the Pavlodar region found a man guilty of murdering his wife — businesswoman Yelena Kuzmich, whose death was almost considered an accident for nearly a year.
HOW THE TRAGEDY HAPPENED
The court established that in mid-August 2024, the defendant went upstream with his wife in the area of Aksu on one of the branches of the Irtysh River.
According to the case file, when the woman was sitting on the edge of the boat, the man sharply rocked the vessel, causing her to lose her balance and fall into the water. After that, as the court established, he held her underwater, preventing her from surfacing.
A forensic medical examination determined the cause of death — mechanical asphyxia due to water entering the airways.
WHAT WAS THE MOTIVE FOR THE CRIME
As stated in the verdict, there had been a long-standing property dispute between the spouses. The trigger was a commercial enterprise worth more than 125 million tenge, registered in the name of Yelena Kuzmich.
The court noted that the woman had been planning a divorce, and the limited liability partnership was her individual property and not subject to division. The case file indicates that the defendant perceived this as a threat to his financial position.
According to the court's version, the man intended to take over the business through inheritance.
POSITIONS OF THE PARTIES IN COURT
The state prosecutor requested a sentence of 18 years in prison for the defendant. The victim's relatives insisted on a life sentence.
The defendant himself did not plead guilty, and his defence asked for an acquittal.
WHAT SENTENCE THE COURT IMPOSED
The court, taking into account the absence of a criminal record, positive references, and the absence of aggravating circumstances, sentenced the man to 15 years in prison, to be served in a medium-security facility.
At the time of publication, the verdict has not yet come into force.