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One of accomplices in murder of Chancellor of Saint-Petersburg State Service and Economics University Alexander Viktorov jailed

A court has recognized the evidence gathered by the Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee based in the city of Saint-Petersburg sufficient to convict Vitaly Kovalyov, one of accomplices in the murder of Chancellor of Saint-Petersburg State Service and Economics University Alexander Viktorov. He was found guilty of crimes under part 3 of article 33, paragraph “h” of part 2 of article 105, part 3 of article 33, part 1 of article 30, paragraph “h” of part 2 of article 105, part 1 of article 222 (organization of a contract murder, organization of plotting a murder, illegal purchase and storage of firearms).

The court and investigators have revealed that Vitaly Kovalyov was the organizer of the murder and for a fee involved his acquaintances Vyacheslav Makarov and Andrey Yeliseyev. According to the plan, Kovalyov as the organizer had to give Makarov and Yeliseyev information about Viktorov’s private life and a gun with a silencer and ammunition necessary for the murder. In addition Kovalyov followed Viktorov and informed Makarov about his whereabouts, the latter transmitted the information to Yeliseyev, that way assisting in the crime by giving information. On 5 September 2012, having received from Kovalyov all necessary information, Yeliseyev being in the territory of Viktorov’s household, shot at him no less than 5 times. Viktorov died on the spot as a result of his wounds. Later during the probe investigators found that Makarov and Kovalyov had been involved in plotting the killing of a man in Saint-Petersburg. However, they could not accomplish their criminal intention as were held by the law enforcement agents.

The court sentenced Kovalyov to 17 years to be served in a maximum-security penal colony.

Earlier court sentenced Makarov and Yeliseyev to 9 and 13 years in maximum-security penal colonies respectively.