The former deputy mayor of Almaty region, Bagdat Manzorov, again fell into the criminal chronicles. He is again suspected of fraud, and also accused of raiding and extortion.
As ACCA found out, now, at the request of a certain businessman, a case has been initiated against Manzorov under the article “Fraud”. The pre-trial investigation is carried out by the police of the city of Almaty.
According to the applicant, for many years he cooperated with Manzorov with mutual benefit: for helping the official to build markets, residential complexes, commercial premises and other facilities, in return he received active assistance in resolving his issues and general patronage. However, later there was a conflict between the partners, as a result of which the businessman lost his property worth about $6 million.
This is not the first time that Bagdat Manzorov has come to the attention of law enforcement agencies. So, in early September 2019, information appeared on social networks that Manzorov had been arrested on suspicion of taking a bribe.
According to anti-corruption fighters, Manzorov, when he was the head of the Department of State Architectural and Construction Control of the city of Almaty (from February to July 2019), at the request of two businessmen Ybraev and Baimakhanov, changed the purpose of the land plot from commercial to individual housing construction. In return, the businessmen transferred a plot of 0.3 hectares to Manzorov’s daughter.
However, the mayor’s office of Almaty region officially announced that Manzorov wasn’t arrested, but was on a business trip.
At the end of September, it became known that Manzorov went on sick leave, and then on leave without pay. On October 28, lawyer Almas Demesinov said that all charges against Manzorov were dropped due to the absence of corpus delicti. At the same time, information was received from other sources that the corruption fighters, who tried to imprison Manzorov, would themselves be held accountable for misconduct and illegal persecution of the vice-mayor.
In November, Manzorov returned to his workplace and, in an interview with Azattyq Rýhy, said that the criminal case against him was a set-up. According to the vice-mayor, his daughter bought the land from her classmates, and he knew nothing about this deal. It’s noteworthy that later a video appeared on social networks in which Manzorov states that he accepted this plot of 30 acres for his services.
By the way, at the same time, information appeared that the brother of the first President, Bolat Nazarbayev, and Nursultan Nazarbayev’s nephew, Akhmetzhan Yessimov, helped Manzorov escaping from criminal prosecution.
In February 2020, Bagdat Manzorov resigned as vice-mayor of his own free will, saying that he undermined his health in the civil service and wants to undergo a course of treatment.
It’s worth noting that Bagdat Manzorov has a rather modest service record.
Born in 1962. Graduated from the Kazakh Institute of Physical Culture by specialty ‘Teacher of physical culture and sports’. In 2002 – Karaganda Economic University of Kazpotrebsoyuz [Kazakhstani Consumers Union] by specialty ‘Economist-manager’. In 2018, he received the diploma from the Kazakh University of Railways and Communications by specialty ‘Master of Engineering and Technology – transport construction’.
Manzorov’s career began as a trainer at the youth sports school in the city of Taldykorgan. In the 90s he went into business, he headed several companies. Then he went to the civil service. In different years he was deputy mayor in several districts of Almaty region, then he became vice mayor of one of the districts of Almaty, after which he headed the City Department of State Architectural and Construction Control in Almaty, and then he was appointed deputy mayor of Almaty region. According to Kompromat [compromising evidence] of Kazakhstan website, Manzorov appropriated markets and bazaars in each state position.
However, Manzorov didn’t hide his wealth. In November 2019, in an interview with Azattyq Rýhy, the vice-mayor said that he didn’t come to the civil service empty-handed.
“I have been working in the civil service for about 20 years. And I was a deputy. I didn’t come to the civil service empty-handed. Until 1999, I did my own business, I don’t hide it. And then this business was transferred to my family. They are doing it now. And not a single deal is connected with the state. In declarations, we show data annually,” Manzorov emphasized at the time.
