'Ambulance Came After 12 Hrs': Spine-Chilling Revelations in Murder of Ex-Kazakhstan Minister's Wife

New Delhi: In Kazakhstan, the trial of former minister Kuandyk Bishimbayev, accused of beating his wife Saltanat Nukenova to death, has touched a nerve in the Central Asian country. Scores of people have signed petitions calling for harsher penalties for domestic violence. The proceedings at the Supreme Court are being live-streamed on social media platforms, turning the trial into something akin to a dark reality show.

10 Spine-Chilling Revelations In The Case

1. Saltanat Nukenova, a 31-year-old woman, was found dead last November in a restaurant owned by a relative of her husband, where the couple had spent almost an entire day and the previous night.
2. Shocking footage presented in court showed Kuandyk Bishimbayev, a former economy minister, brutally assaulting Nukenova. He was seen repeatedly kicking, punching, and dragging her around by her hair while she was dressed in only a coat and boots.
3. The video evidence captured harrowing moments of abuse, including Bishimbayev assaulting Nukenova outside the restaurant, pulling her hair, kicking her while she was on the ground, and delivering a powerful blow to her jaw.
4. The 8-hour-long assault video also depicted Bishimbayev breaking down the bathroom door when Nukenova attempted to hide, indicating a prolonged and vicious attack.
5. Restaurant staff were allegedly instructed not to call emergency services and to delete CCTV footage, suggesting an attempt to cover up the crime.
6. Despite Nukenova lying on the floor, covered in blood, Bishimbayev called a fortune-teller, who assured him his wife would be fine, instead of seeking immediate medical help.
7. The ambulance arrived 12 hours later, and medical staff declared Nukenova dead at the scene.
8. A coroner's report revealed that Nukenova died from brain trauma, with evidence of severe physical abuse, including a broken nasal bone and numerous bruises on her body.
9. Bishimbayev, aged 43, is charged with torture and murder with extreme violence, facing a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. However, he has pleaded not guilty and argued in court that Nukenova's injuries were self-sustained.
10. His legal team initially challenged medical evidence regarding Nukenova's cause of death and attempted to portray her as a violent and jealous individual, suggesting a strategy to discredit the victim and justify Bishimbayev's actions.