35 Stab Wounds: Verdict Issued in Case That Shook Kazakhstan

Photo collage: smartnews.kz

Kazakhstan’s The trial over the murder of 21-year-old Nuray Serikbay in Shymkent, which shocked the entire country, has concluded, and the defendant has received the maximum sentence.

The Shymkent Criminal Court found 28-year-old Sherkhan Aymakhan guilty of committing this horrific crime and sentenced him to life imprisonment .

Charges Under Three Articles and Millions in Compensation

At the hearing presided over by Judge Samiddin Temiraliyev, Aymakhan was found guilty under three serious articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan:

• Article 125-1: “Forced marriage”;

• Article 115-1: “Stalking” (systematic and coercive harassment);

• Article 99, Part 2, Clause 5: “Murder committed with extreme cruelty.”

In addition to life imprisonment, the court ordered the defendant to pay the victim’s family compensation for moral damages amounting to 25 million tenge (approximately $54,000) and compensation for material damages of 5 million tenge (approximately $11,000).

Rejection, Abduction and 35 Stab Wounds

The horrific incident occurred on the evening of January 11, 2026, in Shymkent, near Nuray Serikbay’s home. Aymakhan had previously proposed marriage to the young woman, but after she rejected him, he abducted her by force. Although her relatives brought her home and contacted the police, no criminal case was opened at the time.

On the day of the crime, Aymakhan followed the young woman again and brutally stabbed her 35 times. The victim died at the scene from severe bodily injuries. The perpetrator was arrested two days later, 10 kilometers from the city.

Tokayev’s Intervention and Police Resignations

The tragedy sparked a wave of public outrage across the country. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev personally intervened and ordered an investigation into the inaction of Shymkent police.

Following the president’s order:

• the head of the Shymkent Police Department and his first deputy were dismissed;

• criminal proceedings were opened against several police officers for negligence in the performance of their duties after they disregarded the young woman’s appeal.

The “Temporary Insanity” Version Rejected

A forensic psychiatric examination conducted on April 30 found Sherkhan Aymakhan fully mentally competent. Nevertheless, the defendant did not admit his guilt. In court, he claimed that Nuray had stabbed him first and that he had acted in a state of temporary insanity. However, the court rejected this version as contradicting his statements during the preliminary investigation.

Leave your opinion in the comments and share the article with your contacts via Telegram or other social networks.