By SAID BABAZADE

“Ayten told me that she was poisoned. We went to the hospital and it became clear that she was four months pregnant,” says Esmira Jafarova, the 55-year-old mother of Ayten Jafarova, 17, who was killed by her fiancé Sabir Gadimov, 21, in the Balakhani settlement of Sabunchu region on May 31, 2018.

According to Jafarova, her daughter had been raped by Sabir Gadimov, but because of the pregnancy, the victim did not go to court against him and instead offered to marry. Jafarova says Gadimov’s family initially accepted the offer and agreed on the engagement. However, they later tried to change their decision with several excuses.

The crime was committed on the same day that relatives gathered and traded rings for the couple. According to the statement issued by Sabunchu Police Department, after the engagement ceremony, a man with an IJ-16 hunting rifle entered the Jafarov’s home when Ayten and her mother were alone. The man first shots Esmira Jafarova in her face. Pellets damaged her face, shoulder and hit her fingers. When Ayten Jafarova tried to run from the house, a bullet hit her in the back and another in the back of the skull.

“When I opened the door, I saw Sabir. She tried to shoot at my daughter but I immediately leaped in front of the rifle. When Sabir fired, the bullet wounded my face, my shoulder and my fingers. I fell to the ground. I shouted at Ayten to leave the house. However, she could not. Sabir managed to shot at her as well,” says Esmira Jafarova.

According to Esmira Jafarova, when the second bullet hit Ayten, she fell to the ground on her face and didn't move.

After committing the crime, the perpetrator fled. Esmira Jafarova tried crawling to the street to call for help, but lose consciousness at the front gate. Neighbors who heard the sound of gunfire ran to the house, and after seeing the blood, called for police and ambulance.

‘We were at home that evening. It was approximately 10 o’clock. Suddenly something blasted. We thought it happened at Narimans’ (different house). We ran outside, and saw that one of them were lying on the street and another inside the yard," says neighbor Aydin Mammedov.

According to Ilham Gambarov, a doctor at Clinical Medical Centre No. 3, when the ambulance brought them to the hospital Ayten was already near death and her mother had serious injuries. Both underwent urgent surgery. Doctors amputated two fingers on the mother’s right hand. But they cold not save Ayten's life.

According to a police statement, a few hours later police carried out an operation and detained Gadimov, the one-day fiancée of Ayten. While in detention Gadimov confessed that he had committed the crime.

Gadimov told a police inquiry: “I went to their house and told Ayten that I would marry her. But she insulted me. Then I came back home, took my grandfather's hunting rifle and killed her.”

According to Malahat Akhiyeva, aunt of the victim, after the engagement ceremony Gadimov came back to Aytan Jafarova’s home. She heard the couple arguing loudly. She also says Gadimov left and came back with a rifle and killed Ayten and wounded her mother.

New details emerged during the trial on March 1, 2019.  Esmira Jafarova told the court another person helped Gadimov commit the crime.

“His (Sabir's) hands were trembling. After shooting me, Sabir gave the rifle to his cousin Sahib.  Sahib reloaded the rifle and gave it back to Sabir. Then Sabir shot my daughter. Then they left my house without hurrying. I crawled to my daughter. I had no strength left to move her. She was about to die, and was crying “Mom!” said Esmira Jafarova in her testimony to the court.

On March 1, 2019, the trial of Gadimov in the Baku Court on Grave Crimes was continued. According to Report News Agency, the public prosecutor announced the case would be heard by judge Rasim Sadikhov.

Gadimov has admitted his guilt. The next court hearing is scheduled for March 29.

Gadimov is charged with the provisions of 120.2.2 (killing someone with the intention of hooligan), 120.2.3 (killing or damaging the victim or his/her neighbor while carrying out his/her duties), 120.2.4 (killing brutally and with dangerous methods), 29,120.2.7 (attempting to kill two or more people), 29,120.2.2 (trying to kill someone with the intention of hooligan), 29,120.2.4 (attempting to kill brutally and with dangerous methods).