You're reading: Period of investigation into Nemtsov killing extended

The investigative agencies have extended the period of investigation into the killing of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, a source familiar with the situation told Interfax.

“The investigative agencies have issued a directive on extending the period of the investigation,” the source said.

The decision was prompted by the need to carry out numerous expert analyses and determine all circumstances of the crime, he said.

Nemtsov was shot and killed on Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge in central Moscow late on Feb. 27. A criminal case has been opened into Nemtsov’s murder under Russian Criminal Code Article 105 (murder) and Article 222 (illegal trafficking in weapons). The investigation is being handled by the main investigations department of the Russian Investigative Committee.

Moscow’s Basmanny Court has sanctioned the arrest of five people as suspects in the Nemtsov murder case at least until April 28. These are Zaur Dadayev, who is suspected of firing the fatal shots, Anzor Gubashev, and their presumed accomplices Khamzat Bakhayev, Shadid Gubashev, and Temerlan Eskerkhanov.

As was reported with reference to a ruling on Dadayev’s arrest, he had confessed to committing the crime, and the other four suspects have denied their role in it.

It became known later that Dadayev had withdrawn his confession, claiming that he had been abducted by unidentified people on March 5, was brought to the Investigative Committee on March 7, and his testimony had been obtained under coercion.