Murder
On June 9, 2004, Aiba's car came under fire, fifty metres from his home in Sukhumi. He got out of the car in an attempt to protect his ten-year old daughter, but was seriously injured, and died later that day in hospital. His death sent shockwaves through Abkhaz politics. Aiba had no business links and many people claimed that the killing was politically motivated. It sparked the resignations of several prominent ministers, including foreign minister (and fellow Amtsakhara leader) Sergey Shamba, interior minister Abessalom Beiya and Givi Agrba, head of the security services. However, Shamba later denied that his resignation was related to Aiba's death, and Prime Minister Raul Khadjimba refused to accept the resignations of Beiya and Agrba.
No one has yet been charged with Aiba's murder. Former opposition leader Sergei Bagapsh has since become president.
Read more about this topic: Garri Aiba
Famous quotes containing the word murder:
“Confusion now hath made his masterpiece!
Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope
The Lord’s anointed temple, and stole thence
The life o’ the building.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Chinese do not repay friendship with death.”
—Joseph O’Donnell, and Clifford Sanforth. Ah Ling, Murder by Television, when he is accused of Perry’s murder (1935)
“My chance, when it came, was due, literally, to the fact that I was slender.... You cannot make an opera audience believe that a man will endanger his soul, and commit robbery and murder for a very stout lady’s sake.”
—Maria Jeritza (1887–1982)