A military court in the Republic of Adygea handed a suspended sentence to a service member who engaged in intimate communications with a 13-year-old girl and touched her inappropriately. The decision was issued by the Maikop Garrison Military Court and summarized for readers by socialbites.ca.
The court documents outline that the officer, Magamet Datkhuzhev, first met the girl in the village of Tabachny in September of the prior year. He invited her to his home and exchanged phone numbers. Over roughly a month, Datkhuzhev maintained a private conversation with the girl through a messaging app, discussing intimate topics and requesting photographs of her in underwear. He used an alias on one account, calling himself “Ivan Ivanov,” while the girl referred to him as “Maga.”
The nature of the relationship came to light after classmates discovered the messages on the girl’s phone and forwarded screenshots to her teacher. After the mother learned of the situation, she reported it to law enforcement authorities. The investigation tracked how the interactions unfolded, including the initial meeting, the progression of online contact, and the escalation to sexualized requests, all of which occurred while the girl was still a minor.
During testimony, the victim told investigators that when she met the officer she disclosed that she was a student, but she did not reveal her exact age or grade level. She accepted Datkhuzhev’s offer to give her a ride home because she needed to be back by ten o’clock in the evening, as her mother had instructed. After they stopped, Datkhuzhev reportedly hugged her and touched the back of her thigh. The girl continued communicating with him for about a month, but eventually stopped, citing the vulgarity of the messages as the reason for ending the contact.
Datkhuzhev asserted to the court that he did not plead guilty to indecent acts against a minor. The verdict noted that the victim appeared physically taller than the officer and looked older than her actual age, which led Datkhuzhev to believe that she could be at least 14 years old. The court assessed the victim’s external appearance and behavior, along with the relatively brief period of contact, the officer’s education level, and his lack of experience in interacting with children. Based on these considerations, the court concluded that Datkhuzhev did not intend to commit immoral acts with a person under 14, and that his actions were directed at a victim who was in fact 14 years old.
In addition to the charges related to indecent acts, the defendant faced an accusation of leaving his military unit without permission in November of the previous year. He admitted guilt on this count. In light of the mitigating circumstances associated with that charge, as well as considerations such as shell shock, voluntary enlistment in military service under a contract, and the awarding of the Zhukov medal, the court imposed a suspended sentence of five and a half years with a three-year probationary period. The verdict resulted in Datkhuzhev being released at the courthouse after the ruling.
Public awareness of cases where drivers in other cities have faced allegations of inappropriate conduct toward underage passengers has varied and continues to spark discussions about safeguarding youth from exploitation, especially in public transit and during informal gatherings. Authorities emphasize the importance of reporting suspicious behavior and ensuring swift investigations to protect minors while upholding due process for those accused.