Man suspected of killing Russian diplomat in Abkhazia sentenced in Georgia
TBILISI. June 11 (Interfax) - Georgia's Batumi city court has sentenced Russian citizen Yusuf Lakayev to 12 years in prison.
Russia demanded Lakayev be extradited. Lakayev is suspected of killing Russian diplomat Dmitry Vishernev in Sukhumi.
Piruz Tsulukidze and Temur Bakhuntaridze have been sentenced as well, to two years, and two years and three months respectively.
Tsulukidze, Bakhuntaridze and Lakayev were detained on September 13, 2013. A police officer was wounded during the detention of Lakayev.
First Secretary of the consular department of the Russian embassy in Abkhazia, Vishernev, was shot in Sukhumi on September 9 in his service car.
According to the information of Georgian mass media outlets, Chechen resident Lakayev arrived in Georgia illegally and attempted to go to Turkey with the assistance of his friends Tsulukidze and Bakhuntaridze. During their detention on September 13 in Batumi Lakayev opened fire at police and wounded a police officer and a passer-by. Lakayev was wounded with return fire and detained with his friends.
Meanwhile, the Abkhaz investigative authorities said they possessed information confirming the involvement of Grozny native Lakayev, who was released from prison in Russia in 2011, in the murder of the Russian diplomat.
