"Thought he was killed": A man from Pavlodar was stabbed during a dispute over who would sing in karaoke.

According to the verdict of Court No. 2 of Pavlodar, the incident occurred in July 2024. Two men went together to a karaoke bar in Pavlodar. During their gathering, they naturally began to sing. Ultimately, the victim was displeased that his acquaintance performed his favorite songs. The man started to voice his grievances, which escalated into a fight.

Inside the karaoke bar, the men were separated, and then asked to leave the establishment. They went outside and resumed their conflict. Their mutual fight eventually turned into a stabbing incident.

According to court information, the accused inflicted one stab wound to the chest of his acquaintance and fled the scene of the crime.

"Since the stab was in the heart area, I already thought I was going to die. The knife was thrust with the right hand, hitting the side in the heart area, i.e., in the chest. I saw blood on myself; my T-shirt was soaked in blood, and I felt faint. After that, I started to lose consciousness and fell immediately. The staff of the establishment called for an ambulance," - the victim's testimony is cited in the verdict.

The court noted that the 52-year-old man who stabbed his acquaintance did not flee far; he was apprehended by the police. During interrogation, he claimed that he was merely defending himself because he believed he might become a murder victim.

The criminal case was considered in court under part 1 of article 106 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Intentional infliction of serious bodily harm).

After reviewing witness testimonies and surveillance footage, the court concluded that the defendant's guilt was proven. He was sentenced to three years of imprisonment.

It is worth noting that under part 1 of article 106 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, intentional infliction of serious bodily harm is punishable by imprisonment for a term of three to eight years.

Previously, five residents of Semey faced trial due to a mass brawl after visiting a karaoke bar. During the conflict, the victim sustained a serious head injury, while three other participants in the fight suffered minor bodily injuries. A video of this mass brawl in Semey circulated on social media earlier this year.