Taxi drivers are preparing protests in six cities demanding a fair sentence for the perpetrators of armed robbery and attempted murder of their colleague Apostol Valchev from Yambol. Today, the Supreme Court of Cassation will for the third (last) time hear the case of the attack on the taxi driver. Initially, the Yambol District Court found the defendants guilty of attempted robbery accompanied by attempted murder. Kostadin Stoyanov was sentenced to six years in prison, and Simeon Dimitrov to 16 years in prison. The two appealed and the Court of Appeals-Burgas reduced their sentences - Simeon Dimitrov to 15 years “imprisonment”, and Kostadin Stoyanov - to two years and four months, and the act was reclassified as attempted robbery, accompanied by moderate bodily injury . Taxi driver Apostol Valchev spoke to FAKTI.
- Mr. Valchev, seven years have passed since the accident, after you were shot in the back as a taxi driver. At what stage is the case and why have we not had a solution for so many years?
- A new law firm appeared in the middle of the case and turned it around. Then he returned several times to the Appellate Court in Burgas, the charge against one of the perpetrators was changed. Then again it reached the Supreme Court of Cassation, again arrangements were made, again it returned to the Court of Appeal in Burgas and so on. From institution to institution. Now I already hope that the Supreme Court of Cassation for the third time – this is the last time he can sit, and there will be a verdict. It cannot be delayed any longer and things will end.
- And with each new case, you remember that incident that happened in December 2017…
- No way. I was sent by the taxi company to an address in a village near Yambol – the village of Draževo, where a young man with two jackets was waiting for me. I got out so I could open the trunk and the other guy who shot me was laying in the ditch with a converted air rifle chambered in a .22 caliber cartridge that has a hole in the center. When the bullet enters the body, it causes great damage. So I open the trunk and hear a gunshot behind me. The bullet enters, passes through the lung, bursts the diaphragm, and an hour is stuck in the heart. It's a complete miracle that I was alive at that moment. God was just with me. I turned around, and the one who was going to get into the car started shooting a gas gun at me. A standoff ensued. I got into the car and tried to call for help. At that moment, a young man came and started pulling me from the car, kicking me. I grabbed his leg and a struggle ensued. The strength began to leave me. I managed to push him away, closed the door and walked towards the center of the village. I drove with my horn so I could get attention and called my dad at the same time. He works at the same company, and he was the last person I had spoken to, and it was easy for me to call him. Then ER, hospital, surgeries, etc…
- And this whole incident for seven years already cannot come to an end?
- Apparently. Otherwise, the same evening the criminals were discovered and caught by the police. They made full confessions, and the legal saga continues for seven years from court to court. Several times cases were postponed due to sick leave. All these were lawyers' tricks to prolong the time and so that their sentence could be reduced.
- And she is currently…
- 15 years for the boy with the bags – was of age, and two and a half years for the shooter. He received a small sentence because he was a minor at the time of the crime. There is another interesting thing here. The sentence will remain for two and a half years, because a prosecutor from Burgas did not file a protest against it and agreed with the sentence. Whether due to negligence or some other reason – I have no idea. The sentence of two and a half years has not been appealed, and I cannot appeal it as a private prosecutor. And so.
- And was there a clear answer to the main question – why…
- Their goal was to take the turnover and the car. Then sell the car for parts or in some other way. That was their plan.