Witness in Azeri mafia chief’s murder case reportedly involved in six other murder cases

ISTANBUL

It has emerged that a witness in the case of the murder of an Azeri mafia chief in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district was involved in six other murder cases, including the murder of an Azeri businessman in Istanbul’s Bahçeşehir district and five others in Russia. 

Police have determined that the man identified only as Hacıbaba T., an Azerbaijani citizen whose testimony was taken as a witness in the killing of Azeri-origin Russian mafia leader Rovshan Caniyev on Aug. 18, was already being sought over a murder case in 2013, daily Habertürk reported on Aug. 25. 

Investigators found that Hacıbaba T. and Caniyev had been in a meeting and the former was working for the latter, so Hacıbaba T. was taken to the police headquarters to testify. While he was there it was found that an arrest warrant had been issued for him for his involvement in past murders. 

Police have reportedly contacted the Russian authorities to get information regarding Hacıbaba T.