A court in Russia has given jail sentences to four brutes who robbed a mum, drove her to an area of woodland, raped her, and strangled her to death with a wire.
The court in Krasnoyarsk heard how victim Veronika Korobkina – the mother of a young daughter – left a cafe in the city with four men on the night of 23rd July 2021.
This CCTV footage shows her last moments, including when she was led into a car by the men – who are all of Roma ethnicity.
The court heard how the men drove her to an area of woodland in Beryozovsky District, where they stole her jewellery, mobile phone, and bank card.
After raping her, they strangled her to death with an electrical wire, dug a shallow grave, and tossed her body into it, the court ruled.
Veronika was reported missing, but her family’s and friends’ worst fears were confirmed more than a week later, on 1st August, when her body was found.
Now, nearly two years later, her attackers have finally been brought to justice.
The two defendants ruled to have directly participated in Veronika’s murder – Mikhail Ivanov and Samir Khristu – were given 23 and 21 years behind bars respectively.
Their co-defendants – Sundr Ivanov and Stil Mikhay – were given respective sentences of five years and six months.
The Krasnoyarsk Regional Court said in a statement obtained by CEN: “The Krasnoyarsk Regional Court has announced the verdict for the four defendants in the high-profile case of the robbery, rape, and murder of Veronika Korobkina.
“As established by the court, on 23rd July 2021, 41-year-old Veronika Korobkina was relaxing at the ‘Shans’ cafe and left there at night with four men – Mikhail Ivanov, Stil Mikhay, Sundr Ivanov, and Samir Khristu. The latter took the victim to Beryozovsky District, took off all her jewellery, drove her into the forest, raped her, took her phone and bank card, then strangled her with an electrical wire and hid the body in a prepared pit. Korobkina’s body was found on 1st August 2021.
“The court found all the defendants guilty of the charges brought against them and imposed punishments in the form of imprisonment: Sundr Ivanov, the driver, received five years in a medium-security colony; Stil Mikhay received six years and six months in a medium-security colony; and Mikhail Ivanov and Samir Khristu, who directly participated in the murder, received 23 years of imprisonment with one year of restricted freedom and 21 years of imprisonment with one year of restricted freedom, respectively, in strict-regime colonies.”
