Court has found the evidence gathered by Moscow Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee enough to convict Pavel Sopot. He was found guilty of a crime under part 4 of article 33, paragraph “a” of part 3 of article 111 of RF Penal Code (incitement of infliction of deliberate bodily harm to victim in connection with their professional activity).
The court and investigation have found that on 12 May 2000, members of Tagiryanov’s gang on the request from Sopot tracked Novaya Gazeta journalist Igor Domnikov from the editorial office to his flat. There in house No 31 in Pererva Street the perpetrators hit him with a hammer 10 times on the head. Domnikov died later in hospital. The investigators have found that the motive for the crime was the fact that Sopot had bought the right to claim the debt from one large enterprise in Lipetsk. For the successful deal he needed the consent from the regional administration. During the conversation with the officials he learned that Domnikov was very critical about their work. Sopot was afraid of if the leadership changed he couldn’t be able to settle his financial problems and considering that he asked a friend of his Eduard Tagiryanov, the leader of the gang, to intimidate the journalist.
In 2007 the members of the Tagiryanov’s gang were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for over 20 murders and other serious and especially serious crimes. Tagiryanov was also sentenced for life. Investigators go on investigating criminal cases severed into separate lawsuits against people who ordered murders and instigators in conspicuous crimes.
The court sentenced Sopot to 7 years in a maximum-security penal colony.
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