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Saltanat Nukenova and Kuandyk Bischimbayev

Footage has been released in a Kazakh court showing the final moments of a 31-year-old astrologer who died at the hands of her husband, reveals the Daily Mail.

The video shows the man, a former economy minister in the Asian country, dragging the woman by her hair, kicking her and beating her. Saltanat Nukenova died of head trauma. The crime took place in November last year.

The “trial of the century”, as the local press calls it, is shocking Kazakhstan. The media coverage of the case has led thousands of people to sign petitions calling for tougher sentences for domestic violence.

Kuandyk Bischimbayev risks 20 years in prison if found guilty. Initially, he said in court that the woman died of self-inflicted injuries. 

However, video surveillance footage contradicted the former ruler’s testimony. Meanwhile, last Wednesday, the suspect confessed to assault.

One of the videos shows the couple arguing outside a restaurant owned by a relative of the former minister.

Bischimbayev is seen aggressively assaulting his wife and dragging her to the ground by her hair. He then kicks his partner several times.

As the victim tries to get up, the suspect grabs her by the neck and kicks her in the chin. The assaults continued out of camera range.

The restaurant’s video surveillance system also managed to capture the violence of the confrontations. The woman is seen dragging herself away from her attacker.

“After dragging her out of the bathroom, Bishimbayev grabbed her neck and strangled her. She lost consciousness,” says the prosecutor.

The woman was found dead the next day, with head trauma.

After beating the woman, the ex-minister re-entered the restaurant and sat quietly eating a meal. Bishimbayev admitted to the court that he had called a “psychic” friend.

In March it was reported that the murder happened because Nukenova, the politician’s third wife, threatened to leave her husband. Her husband’s aggressions were recurrent, as evidenced by images left by the victim’s defense in court, which show the woman covered in bruises.

At his first court hearing, the defendant claimed that his wife had died from hitting her head on a sink.

O caso tem sido visto como um teste de para desafiar a independência da justiça cazaque face ao sistema político. Muitas pessoas temem que o homem não seja acusado, tal como aconteceu num julgamento anterior, por corrupção.