Yaponchik Doesn’t Look Like the Killer, It Turned Out

Moscow City Court started yesterday, July 4, the close trial against Vyacheslav Ivankov, who is accused of having killed two Turks in the Moscow Fidan restaurant. Former guard of the restaurant, Andrey Ozerov was called in to witness. He said he doesn’t know the accused and saw quite another man on the scene of the crime.

At the start of the trial, the prosecutor said Ivankov is accused of having shot two Turks in Fidan restaurant on February 29, 1992, just because he disliked them. Ivankov lawyers specified in return their client admits no guilt. Then the material witness, police former sergeant Andrey Ozerov was called in. Ozerov used to guard Fidan and was generally viewed as a sort of the sheet anchor for the prosecutors.

Read full article here: http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=588843

Moscow mob suspect can't duck murder rap

A prominent Russian organized crime suspect lost a battle Friday to escape three murder charges, Interfax news agency reported.

The Moscow City Court rejected a petition filed by Vyacheslav Ivankov, also known as Yaponchik or Little Japanese, asking the court to drop murder charges against him as the 10-year statute of limitations had expired, Interfax said.

"In its statement, the court ruled that we have 10 days to appeal this decision. And we certainly will do so," Ivankov's lawyer Sergei Kotelevsky told the news agency.

Read full article here: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2005/04/29/Moscow-mob-suspect-cant-duck-murder-rap/UPI-20931114822821/