Was Charkasava Murdered for Investigating Arms Trade?

According to RFE/RL

Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta published the article “Fear as Sufficient Motive or Who Made Short Work of Veronika Cherkassova?” by Siarhey Satsuk. It is the first time since the murder (20 October 2004) when one states that the investigation is mistaken and the real reasons for the murder of the journalist who worked in Salidarnasts weekly before the murder lie in the political field.

The investigation still hasn’t reacted to such statements. The author says Minsk City Prosecutor’s Office hasn’t disturbed him yet, but doesn’t exclude that it can happen in the near future.

Satsuk: It is a pure journalist investigation and it has nothing to do with the investigation of the prosecutor’s office. It is possible we went the same ways in some moments and in other ones chose different paths. I haven’t looked into their case, that’s why I could violate any of its secrets. Besides, we made it all seriously – we drew to the investigation the juridical service of Belarusian Association of Journalists, the agency of journalist investigations and Danish Association of Journalist Investigations. I think there won’t be any pretensions from the law machinery.

The journalist says they invited a criminalist, who stated with a great degree of assurance that the massacre in the journalist’s flat was staged. A witness from the neighboring flat heard how the murder took place, but the official investigation paid no attention to her testimony. The main accused of the official investigation is the 14-year-old Anton only because he was freed from the lessons of physical training, was going to the market approximately at the time of the murder. According to BDG the murderer took none of Veranika’s valuables and left $1 350 that belonged to the family in the flat, which excludes the version of robbery. To suspect the son is beyond criticism.

The only thread left is the professional activity. According to S. Satsuk, Veranika had contacts with the worker of “Infobank” who dealt with the financial side of Iraq contracts. It is not known whether the journalist planned to give publicity to information about arms trade, but her contacts with the “Infobank” worker could frighten somebody. “It could be somebody more important than bank workers”, -- sums up Siarhey Satsuk.

Recently Veranika Charkasava’s son and father-in-law, who are suspected in the murder, were freed from the recognizance not to leave Minsk. Does it mean that the investigation refused from its version? To find about it, the journalist phoned to Dyiana Charkasava, mother of the murdered journalist:

Satsuk: What doubts and questions do you have?

Charkasava: I believe this article. To my mind, it was done honestly. The authors found everything they wrote with their own efforts and they did a great work.

Satsuk: Do you have any contacts with the investigators of Minsk City Prosecutor’s Office?

Charkasava: They are sure they’ve found the persons guilty.,,

Satsuk: But they withdrew the recognizance…

Charkasava: It is only about the recognizance, but the status of suspects remains.

Satsuk: Do the investigators meet with you?

Charkasava: No, now they don’t. We are very disturbed with this: how can investigators suspect a man who didn’t even go out? I mean my husband, who was with me that day.

Satsuk: Do they consider these arguments?

Charkasava: No, they don’t. They don’t answer to it. The only thing is left is to not to trust myself! My grandson was absent at the lesson he was freed from for 40 minutes only and there is no evidence that he had anything to do with this case. Everything was invented…