Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend K.Zarbaliyeva / "To my knowledge a criminal gang operates in Baku which is even stronger than my gang," said the former senior official of the Head Investigation Department of Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry, Haji Mammadov, on 10 October in Baku during a court hearing at the Appeals Court.
Haji Mammadov, who is accused of numerous murders, kidnapping, illegally possessing arms as well as other heinous crimes, answered the questions of the State prosecutor, lawyers, and judge.
Answering questions regarding crimes he committed, Mammadov said that due to his health problems, he provided false testimony at several episodes during the investigation. Mammadov did not confirm his testimony regarding the assassination of the Vice President of the Association of the Football Federation of Azerbaijan, Fatulla Huseynov.
He said that he does not know anything regarding the kidnapping of the popular Azerbaijani actress, Afag Melikova, or that the crime was organized by a former member of the gang, Shirkhan Abiyev.
Mammadov said that he himself killed Boris Eyyubov, Ruslan Ukushov, Dilbar Novruzov, Chief of the Head Department to Combat Narcotics at Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry, Azer Ismaylov, as well as Mehman Samadov. He stated that he gained special pleasure from killing these victims. "Do not call me a maniac. I killed these persons due to my personal interests," Mammadov said.
Mammadov said that Ali Guliyev and policeman Mehman Hasanov, despite being members of the gang, were not aware of his crimes. They were wrongfully arrested as they are innocent.
Mammadov said that the disclosure of his gang is linked with the non-professionalism of its gang members.
Today's court hearing was attended by Mammadov and another twenty-two members of the gang currently being prosecuted.
By the decision of the Court on Heinous Crimes presided over by Judge Ali Seyfaliyev, the following have been sentenced to life imprisonment, Haji Mammadov (with seizure of property), Farhad Mammadbayov (with seizure of property), Eldar Rahimov (with seizure of property), Malik Mammadov (with seizure of property), Zakir Nasirov (with seizure of property), Kamil Sadraddinov (with seizure of property), Huseyn Abdulvahabov, Musa Dabuyev, Aslanbey Chintamirov, and Yagir Mammadov.
Nizami Abdullayev (with seizure of property), Sidek Abdulvahabov, and Rovshan Aghayev have been sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment. Naila Guliyeva (with seizure of property) was sentenced to thirteen years imprisonment. Adalat Asadullayev and Novruz Nuriyev were both sentenced to twelve years imprisonment. Aligulu Guliyev and Nishad Ismaylova have been sentenced to ten years imprisonment. Faig Guliyev and Elchin Aliyev (with seizure of property) were sentenced to nine years imprisonment. And lastly Mehman Hasanov, Fariz Gamidov, and Elshan Mirzoyev were sentenced to eight years imprisonment.