In Kazakhstan, the head of Pavlodar region is arrested for 2 months
The Prosecutor’s office of Pavlodar region officially announced at last, what exactly the mayor of the region, Bulat Bakauov, who was detained by the National Security Committee on January 15, is specifically accused.
As ACCA already reported, a criminal case was instituted against Bakauov under the article “Abuse of power or official authority”.
However, the initial information that Bakauov, together with the former mayor of Bayanaul district, Orazgeldy Kairgeldinov, lobbied the interests of the private company “Sapa+” and purchased a building from it for $683.3 thousand, was not confirmed.
The crime that is being charged with the mayor of Pavlodar region is much more prosaic. According to public prosecutor Rustam Sadvakasov, Bulat Bakauov tried to force the employees of the state revenue department (Tax inspection) in Pavlodar region to reduce the amount of additional taxes to “Aksu Trans Logistic” company and to reduce the amount of additional tax charges from $519.5 thousand to $13 thousand.
“During the audit, the tax authorities found numerous violations of the law. In particular, it turned out that the company underpaid more than $500 000 to the budget, that is already beginning to conduct an investigation on intentional tax evasion,” Sadvakasov said.
According to the investigation, the reason for such participation of Bakauov in the fate of the company is due to the fact that the mayor’s nephew is the head of “Aksu Trans Logistic” company.
It is also worth noting that the Prosecutor’s office considered Bakauov’s misconduct so serious that they demanded that he be detained.
“The head of Pavlodar region is suspected of committing a grave corruption crime, for which it is prescribed a punishment from 5 to 10 years in prison. The application of the preventive measure in custody is due to the fact that Bakauov, by virtue of his position, has a real opportunity to put pressure on witnesses and other participants of the process, thereby preventing the objective investigation, as well as hiding from the investigation and the court,” the prosecutor said.
Meanwhile, the deputy of the local regional elected body, Marat Bakauov, who is the brother of the mayor of the region, was ready to pay $2.5 thousand bail for him so that Bulat Bakauov would be charged with house arrest as a preventive measure. However, the court heeded the arguments of state prosecutors. By the decision of the specialized investigative court No.2 of the city of Pavlodar, Bulat Bakauov will be in custody until March 16, 2020.
