In Kazakhstan, officials again were caught in corruption

The Anti-Corruption Agency of Kazakhstan reported again high-profile detentions in Nur-Sultan, Almaty and Turkestan regions.

 In Karasay district of Almaty region, a pre-trial investigation has been launched against the deputy mayor of Karasay district on suspicion of receiving a bribe of $80.6 thousand for the object of the state program. According to investigators, the deputy mayor received this money from a representative of a construction company for general patronage during the construction of the facility under the state program “Road Map 2020”.

And in the neighboring Kerbulak district, the head of the administration of the mayor’s office of Kerbulak was caught in misappropriation of the budget funds under the state program “Employment Road Map 2020”. According to investigators, from March to April 2020, the head of the apparatus stole about $12.2 thousand.

Meanwhile, in Nur-Sultan, the head of the culture department Nurlan Sydykov was detained. He is suspected of receiving a large bribe from the contractor for patronage in the provision of services for organizing celebrations.

In Turkestan region, the anti-corruption fighters became interested in the activities of the chairman of the civil affairs board of the Regional court of Turkestan. Together with him, several judges of the Supreme court, as well as judges from the North Kazakhstan region and the city of Chimkent, are under suspicion. They are accused of the fact that “being away on a business trip in the city of Turkestan with full state support, they received material values from their colleagues from the region”.

“The judges of the Supreme court had lunch and dinner in the VIP room of the prestigious restaurant of the city of Turkestan at the expense of the regional judges, and also received gifts in the form of books from them. Moreover, taking advantage of their superior position, they used their cars for their personal purposes,” the report said. Such behavior certainly affects the authority of the judiciary and the reputation of the judge. The Anti-Corruption Service has submitted to the Supreme court of the Republic of Kazakhstan an idea on bringing the perpetrators to disciplinary responsibility.