On Friday Hrodna regional court has given a death sentence to Ivan Kulesh, a 28-year-old resident of Baranavichy district.
Kulesh was accused of murdering saleswomen and stealing money and goods in the amount of Br 37 mln from a shop in Lida in September, 2013. On November 5, a prosecutor demanded to sentence Kulesh to death.
According to investigators, Kulesh delivered numerous blows at the victims using a metal pipe. Two women died on the spot. The defendant was also charged with theft – he stole a pump from a neighbor’s house.
In November 2014, the defendant killed another seller in Lida district. He hacked the woman to death with an ax and stole money and goods. In addition, Kuleshov is accused of the attempted murder of the woman’s son who caught him in the act.
Kulesh has two criminal records – for theft, robbery and false denunciation. Kulesh had no regular place of work when arrested.
It is the second death sentence the Belarusian court has passed in 2015. On March 18, Homiel regional court awarded a maximum sentence to Syarhei Ivanou, a resident of Rechytsa, who was found guilty of rape and brutal murder of a girl.
Belarus remains the only country in Europe and on the territory of the former Soviet Union which still uses the death penalty.
