The Supreme Court of Cassation has finally sentenced 21-year-old Nikola Raichev from Pazardzhik to 20 years in prison for a murder committed three years ago. The decision confirms the verdict of the Court of Appeal in Plovdiv.
The court has rejected the appeal of the parents of the murdered young man, who demanded that the punishment of “life imprisonment“, imposed by the District Court in Pazardzhik at first instance, be reinstated.
The case is from one of the large neighborhoods of Pazardzhik and took place in broad daylight. According to the court findings, Raichev saw his girlfriend with the other young man, a conflict arose and he stabbed him several times.
At the time of the crime, Raichev was 18 years old, and the deceased young man was 20. The case was considered in three court instances, after a life sentence was initially imposed.
The magistrates accepted that the defendant did not prepare the attack in advance, but acted spontaneously as a result of strong irritation. At the same time, the court indicated that the crime was committed in a particularly painful way for the victim.
With the decision of the Supreme Court of Cassation, the case is finally closed. The sentence of 20 years in prison is not subject to appeal.