Two Mykolaiv residents sent to prison for torturing businessman in Odesa region

The court granted the motion of the Chornomorsk District Prosecutor's Office and sent two Mykolaiv residents to custody. They were accused of kidnapping and torturing an entrepreneur and extortion.

This was reported by the press service of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office.

According to the investigation, the suspects did not act alone - other people were involved in the crime. They posed as SBU officers to deceive the victim. It was under this pretext that they kidnapped the businessman in Mykolaiv, forcing him into a minibus.

After the kidnapping, the man was handcuffed and masked to disorient him and make it impossible to escape. Later, he was held in different places, constantly changing locations.

The investigation found that the victim was severely tortured during his detention. The accomplices used physical violence against their victim: they strangled him with a rope until he lost consciousness, electrocuted him and beat him with rubber truncheons on his feet, squeezed his head in a homemade cage, beat him in the chest and jumped on his arms, which were already in a helpless state.

In this way, the attackers tried to force the entrepreneur to recognize a non-existent debt and demanded USD 360 thousand from him.

Under pressure and physical abuse, the man agreed to the kidnappers' demands. His wife, saving her husband's life, handed over a part of the amount - USD 152 thousand - to the criminals. Only then was the victim released. The man sustained serious injuries as a result of his experience.

Currently, law enforcement officers continue to identify all persons involved in this crime, as well as check the possible involvement of other participants in torture and extortion. Investigative actions are ongoing.

As previously reported by Intent, the police searched the suspects' homes. During the searches, the police seized weapons, IDs with signs of forgery, various military documents, fake car license plates, handcuffs, ties, various tactical clothing, tile carriers, a tactical helmet and other material evidence.

Анна Бальчінос