A court martial in southern Siberia has sentenced Sergeant Rolan Khertek from Tuva to 14 years in a maximum-security penal colony for murdering a private in 2005, a court official said Thursday.
According to the investigation, on August 16 2005, Rolan Khertek, in charge of a platoon, became enraged after Private Maxim Lyakhovsky refused to obey an order he considered to be illegal.
The sergeant hit him several times with a stock of his hand-held machine gun. He then loaded the weapon and shot the soldier in the head. The private died at the scene from a single-shot, which shattered his skull.
During the investigation and the trial, Khertek communicated with investigators and court officials through an interpreter. He partially acknowledged his guilt and said he did not intend to kill his subordinate.
Nevertheless, the court martial has found him guilty on counts of premeditated murder and abuse of authority.
