Kazakhstan: Former vice-mayor of Atyrau region faces 11 years in prison
In the Specialized Inter-District Court for criminal cases of the Atyrau region, a trial is underway concerning the case of former regional first vice-mayor Nurlan Taubaev, who is accused of taking a large bribe (about $430,000). Together with the ex-vice mayor, Timur Basarov, the former head of the Construction Department of Atyrau region, is also in the dock.
As ACCA has already reported, Taubaev and Basarov were detained on September 10, 2020 by employees of the Anti-Corruption Agency.
On October 22 of the same year, Taubaev, who declared his complete innocence, said that he had resigned.
“I made the decision and on October 22 I applied to the mayor of Atyrau region to release me from my post as first deputy mayor of Atyrau region. This decision is not connected with any admission of guilt on my part in the criminal case under investigation, I intend to prove my innocence, since I didn’t do anything of which I am accused.
This decision is dictated solely by the fact that while the investigation is ongoing, I cannot hold such a responsible position,” Taubaev said on social networks.
He also noted that he was the victim of a monstrous provocation and that he knew the names of those behind it.
“I will do everything to prove my innocence and get a fair punishment for the people who organized this. I will go to the President if necessary,” Taubaev promised.
In December 2020, the investigation into the case of the former vice-mayor was completed.
“The investigation of the criminal case against the first deputy mayor of Atyrau region Nurlan Taubaev and the head of the Regional Construction Department Timur Basarov has been completed. Both are suspected of taking a bribe by a group of persons by prior agreement in an especially large amount (more than $430,000) for assisting in signing the acceptance certificate for the operation of a new hospital complex with 200 beds in the city of Kulsary in Atyrau region and general patronage. On December 3, the criminal case was transferred to the Specialized Inter-District Court for criminal cases of Atyrau region,” the Anti-Corruption Agency reported at the time.
The case was taken to court. The start of the trial was scheduled for February 2021. However, the trial was subsequently postponed as Taubaev underwent surgery.
In September 2021, Taubaev, who is in custody, filed a petition to change the preventive measure to house arrest for a week in connection with the death of his brother, who was his public defender. However, the court refused to satisfy the petition, arguing that Taubaev could hide from the court.
On April 4, 2022, the trial in the case of the ex-vice mayor resumed. The prosecution, represented by prosecutor Nurzhan Zhangereev, requested 11 years in prison for Taubaev with a lifetime deprivation of the right to hold positions in the civil service, and for Basarov – 8 years and 5 months in prison with a similar ban on holding public office.
According to the prosecution, at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in the summer and autumn of 2020, Taubaev, by virtue of his official position, supervising a number of departments of the regional mayor’s office, was engaged in his personal enrichment.”
“Instead of actively getting involved in the organizational process to assist in the improvement of sanitary conditions for the population, he decided to use this period for personal enrichment, having determined for himself the monetary equivalent as a priority for the facility Infectious diseases hospital. As an aggravating circumstance for Taubaev’s criminal liability, I ask you to take into account the commission of a criminal offense in violation of his oath. The prosecution didn’t establish any circumstances aggravating Basarov’s criminal liability. Taking into account their personalities and behavior before and after the commission of the crime, I come to the conclusion that they should be sentenced to imprisonment, because the reformation without isolation from society is impossible,” the prosecutor said at the trial.
It’s worth noting that, according to the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan, the crime charged against Taubaev is punishable by a fine in the amount of seventy times the amount of a bribe or imprisonment for a term of seven to twelve years with confiscation of property, with lifelong deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activity.
