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Man jailed for 25 years for double murder

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The garden of the house in Kato Amiantos where the women were buried

The 33-year-old who admitted to murdering two Russian women in late 2021 was handed a 25-year prison sentence on Monday morning.

Limassol criminal court handed down the sentence and described the killings as “brutal”.

Alraeesi Khaiat, 43, and Mariia Gazibagandova, 33, were killed and buried in a two-metre pit the garden of a holiday house near Kato Amiantos.

The bodies were uncovered on December 5 after the women were reported missing from their Larnaca residence on November 17.

Police officers had previously searched the grounds of the home for days but found nothing.

The 33-year-old was called in by police on November 25 to make statements and was subsequently arrested on November 26.

He denied any involvement but later broke down during questioning and admitted to the murders on December 4.

The perpetrator’s 44-year-old brother was sentenced to nine months imprisonment on charges of interfering with a police investigation and illegal possession and transport of a gun.

The two brothers were Syrian and a fellow 30-year-old compatriot was also detained but was later released as he turned witness for the prosecution.

The court found that the 33-year-old had travelled to Limassol to get equipment and workers to dig out the pit after having murdered the women.

He then transported two workers to the holiday home who dug the pit, with the perpetrator then taking them back to Limassol. Afterwards, he buried the bodies and placed gravel over the area to obscure the freshly dug earth.

The perpetrator stated that his motive for the killings were that the two women, who were sitting in the garden of the house, had been mocking him while he was out hunting.

He reportedly confessed to having shot them with his hunting rifle.

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