Bulgaria Confirms Murder Sentence for Roma Cherry Thieves

Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cassation has confirmed the sentences of nine Roma cherry thieves who received a total of 92 years in jail for the murder of an orchard farmer back in 2009.

The ruling is final and cannot be appealed, the local Darik radio has informed. The highest sentence received by a member of the Roma clan in the trial is 19 years, while two of the defendants were sentenced to 3 years and 2 months behind bars.

Plamen Momchilov, 42, was beaten to death by the Roma after he tried to stop them from invading the garden he guarded and steal the valuable cherries.

The crime occurred on June 23, 2009 in the village of Shishkovtsi near the town of Kyustendil, Western Bulgaria.

The thieves who were armed with sticks and shovel handles, have confessed to the crime.

The attack triggered an outrage in the region, with locals prompting authorities to impose tough measures and deploy armed police, equipped with night-vision goggles.

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