Former Minister of Culture and Sports of Kazakhstan Arystanbek Mukhamediuly was detained by the Anti-Corruption Agency on suspicion of embezzlement on an especially large scale.
As ACCA previously reported, on May 16, anti-corruption fighters told that they had discovered in the National Museum of the country the theft of budgetary funds in the amount of $325,000 under the public procurement agreement for the international exhibition “The Procession of the Golden Man through the museums of the world”. In this case, a pre-trial investigation was initiated against the museum officials.
At the same time, on May 16, insider information appeared on social networks and instant messengers that the director of the National Museum, Arystanbek Mukhamediuly, was allegedly detained within the framework of this case. However, the press service of the museum denied these rumors, saying that the director is at the hospital due to problems with his leg.
It is noteworthy that information about the hospitalization of Mukhamediuly also flashed in various telegram channels. True, the reason there was indicated completely different: allegedly the director of the museum tried to commit suicide during a search in his house. But no one has officially confirmed these rumors.
By the way, on May 16, an open appeal addressed to the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, appeared on Mukhamediuly’s Facebook page.
“I started my career at the State Philharmonic. Later, I created the joint-stock company “Kazakh Auenderi” and paid special attention to management. I met many talented young people. We worked together with great enthusiasm. By the end of the nineties, I laid the foundation for the Presidential Orchestra of Kazakhstan, which covers all genres of world musical culture. I had the opportunity to gather the most talented representatives of our country. I have tried my best to do this job. In 2006-2007, I was the Vice Minister of Culture and Information, and the Chief Inspector of the Department of Internal Policy of the Presidential Administration in 2007-2008. Then I worked as the rector of the Kazakh National Academy of Arts named after Zhurgenov. I was appointed Minister of Culture and Sports. Since July 2019, on your instructions, I have been working as the director of the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan,” at the beginning of the address, Mukhamediuly lists the stages of his life path.
Then he describes in detail all his merits in the field of culture and sports in the country: how he negotiated with American film companies, how he contributed to the victory of Kazakh athletes at the Olympics, how he helped domestic filmmakers.
“In whatever area I worked, first of all I worked for the good of the nation. I ruthlessly obstructed those who attacked the state budget. Of course, some people don’t like what I do. Some people still set traps for me,” was stated in the appeal.
It further follows from it that the anti-corruption investigation against the author of the appeal is directly related to his past disagreements with the Kazakh actor Tungyshbai Zhamankulov.
Zhamankulov was at the center of a scandal in November 2016. Then the corruption fighters revealed that a significant part of the funds allocated from the budget was stolen during the production of the feature film “Phoenix”. In particular, during the investigation, it was found that Kazakhfilm JSC was allocated about $230,000. Of these, more than $205,000 were stolen by the general producer of the film, Tungyshbai Zhamankulov. The funds were cashed out through subcontractors. Zhamankulov was detained. The Ministry of Culture and Sports, headed at that time by Mukhamediuly, filed a civil suit against the defendants in this case for damages. The claim was partially satisfied – to recover jointly and severally $53,000.
When the ballyhoo arose around this case, Mukhamediuly promised to make every effort to help Zhamankulov and achieve his release. As a result, Zhamankulov was sentenced to 7 years of probation, but after the application of the amnesty, the term was reduced to 3.5 years.
As follows from the appeal of Mukhamediuly addressed to Tokayev, it was then that Zhamankulov harbored a grudge against him and decided to take revenge on him. However, this assumption is not without reason. Zhamankulov has already confirmed that it was he who wrote the application to the Anti-Corruption Agency against his offender.
Here it should be clarified that the story with the film “Phoenix” and the conviction of Zhamankulov also has a backstory.
In October 2016, that is, a month before Zhamankulov’s arrest, the Kazakh actress Enlik Sydykova posted a video message on social networks in which she accused the Minister of Culture and Sports Arystanbek Mukhamediuly of sexual harassment in 2011, when she entered the Kazakh National Academy of Arts named after Zhurgenov. Mukhamediuly was the rector of the Academy at that time.
Mukhamediuly denied the allegations of harassment against him and stated that they were trying to slander him, since there was a check of violations during the filming Phoenix. It’s also worth adding here that the director of the film, Talgad Zhanybekov, shortly before the speech of Enlik Sydykova, accused Mukhamediuly of extortion.
Despite this, Enlik Sydykova was actively supported by Zhamankulov. And, as he later recognized, this was precisely what caused the revenge on the part of Mukhamediuly.
Now, commenting on his statement against a long-time offender, Zhamankulov said the following:
“I was vilified for protecting student girls. Mukhamediuly slandered and defamed me. Yes, I wrote the application. I make no secret of it. He gathers people around him, then betrays them. The people, he betrayed, brought me documents. There is concrete evidence. I have these documents, I collected them and wrote a statement. Those who brought me these documents know how I suffered and how I was insulted. However, they are afraid to speak openly. Previously, he was under the special protection of people from above. He was untouchable. At that time, no matter what anyone said, it was all in vain. We have spoken repeatedly. We proved our innocence in court. However, because he was under that person’s protection, everyone was afraid. There was an unfair verdict after an unfair investigation. Now the situation has changed,” Zhamankulov noted, apparently referring to the patron of Mukhamediuly as the first President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, whose clan members are now being actively dismissed from their positions or arrested.
In turn, Mukhamediuly, appealing to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, claims that the artists Zhamankulov and Zhanybekov discredited him.
“I have a clear conscience! None of the facts, which were considered separately, was confirmed. Lately, they’ve been trying to remind me of old grievances. In this regard, I ask you not to allow unreasonable checks,” Mukhamediuly summed up in his address to the President.
However, the appeal didn’t have the desired effect. On May 28, the Anti-Corruption Agency detained Mukhamediuly on suspicion of involvement in theft at the National Museum. With the sanction of the court, the director of the National Museum Arystanbek Mukhamediuly was subjected to a measure of restraint – the detention.
