One of four suspects, arrested in connection to assassination attempt against Abkhaz leader Alexander Ankvab, committed suicide by hanging himself in his prison cell overnight on Wednesday, Russian news agencies RIA Novosti and Interfax reported citing an unnamed source from the breakaway region’s law enforcement agencies.
Timur Khutaba was among those four suspects, also including a well-known businessman in Abkhazia Anzor Butba, who were sent to pre-trial detention last week in connection to investigation into the attack on Ankvab’s motorcade in February in which two bodyguards of the Abkhaz leader were killed.
The report about Khutuba’s alleged suicide came a day after former interior minister of breakaway Abkhazia reportedly shot himself when the police arrived in his house in Gagra to arrest him also in connection to assassination attempt against Ankvab.
It was also reported by the Interfax news agency, that one more suspect into the same case, a local resident of Gudauta, Murman Sakania, tried to commit suicide by cutting his throat just before law enforcement officers arrested him on April 17. Sakania was reportedly hospitalized with no life-threatening injuries.
Attack on the Abkhaz leader’s convoy on February 22 was fifth, or possibly sixth, attempt on Ankvab’s life since 2005. No one has ever been charged or arrested for previous assassination attempts.