COURT: DEAD MAN WAS WANTED FOR MURDER
Peterborough Evening Telegraph, UK
Oct 13 2005
AN Armenian man found dead in a field near Peterborough was a gangster
wanted for murder in Belgium.
Hovannes Amirian (42) was shot and stabbed before his body was dumped
in Upton and set on fire.
Nishan Bakunts (28), of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and his father-in-law
Nisha Chatsjatrijan (44), who was living in Holland at the time,
are standing trial at Norwich Crown Court.
Both deny murder.
Jurors heard Mr Amirian was known to be involved in organised crime
in Belgium and was a self-confessed Mafia member.
The court was told Mr Amirian was wanted for questioning about the
murder of a man in Belgium, in 2000.
In evidence on Wednesday, Bakunts’ sister Lucinne Karepetian, said
she had visited Chatsjatrijan in Holland after the victim’s death.
She said Chatsjatrijan told her eight bullets had been fired into Mr
Amirian’s head and he had begged on his knees not to be killed.
The court was told that before his body was taken to the field, he had
been killed in the medical room at the Cooper Roller Bearings Factory
in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, where Mr Bakunts worked as a security officer.
The case was adjourned until Wednesday pending the arrival of an
interpreter.