(2 March 2026 | Source: Hronika.kz)
The former head of the air harbour of the regional centre of Eastern Kazakhstan has been found guilty in a case of abuse of official powers and embezzlement. The court also noted a lack of proper control over the strategic facility by the shareholder and supervisory bodies.
WHAT WAS ESTABLISHED DURING THE PROCEEDINGS
According to Hronika.kz, the former airport director and other officials of the joint-stock company, over several years, allegedly organised a scheme involving inflated salaries, the awarding of fictitious bonuses, and the conclusion of sham contracts.
According to information from the Department of the Agency for Financial Monitoring (AFM) for the East Kazakhstan Region, the funds were subsequently cashed out through the enterprise's cash desk. The investigation also revealed instances of vehicles being sold to affiliated persons at below-market prices and commercial property being leased at reduced rates.
Total damage to the state is estimated at 157 million tenge. By court order, property belonging to the suspects worth 126 million tenge was previously seized: four apartments, a plot of land, and two cars.
WHAT VIOLATIONS IN THE SECURITY SYSTEM WERE FOUND
Separately, the court pointed out problems with the security regime of the strategic facility. It was established that, in practice, there was uncontrolled vehicle access to the restricted area of the airport — without registration, inspection, or escort.
THE COURT'S VERDICT
The Inter-District Criminal Court of Ust-Kamenogorsk found the former airport president, Nikolay Korolenko, guilty under paragraph 3 of part 4 of Article 361 (“Abuse of Official Powers”) and paragraph 2 of part 4 of Article 189 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (“Misappropriation or Embezzlement of Entrusted Another Person's Property”).
The court sentenced him to 8 years' imprisonment to be served in a medium-security facility. Furthermore, he was banned for life from holding positions in the civil service, local government bodies, the National Bank, the quasi-public sector, and other state structures.
The court also ordered him to compensate the state 120 million tenge. The defendant was taken into custody in the courtroom. The verdict may be appealed and has not yet entered into legal force.
Initially, the charges included corruption-related episodes; however, during the proceedings, the state prosecution dropped them.
WHY THE COURT ISSUED A SPECIAL RULING
Simultaneously with the verdict, the court issued a special ruling addressed to the Akimat of the East Kazakhstan Region. The document states that in 2018–2023, the airport's sole shareholder — the Social-Entrepreneurial Corporation (SPC) “Ertis”, owned by the regional akimat — did not ensure proper corporate and financial control over the enterprise's activities.
Noted issues included:
- the formal nature of the work of the board of directors and committees;
- a lack of timely response to violations of financial discipline;
- insufficient measures for the preservation of state property;
- the formal functioning of internal control and audit.
According to the court's assessment, this weakened control created conditions that facilitated the commission of criminal offences.
DECISIONS REGARDING OTHER AIRPORTS
It will be recalled that on 23 February, the Specialised Inter-District Administrative Offences Court of Turkestan found JSC “International Airport of Turkestan” guilty of violating antitrust legislation. The company charged entrepreneurs a fee for the right to sell aviation fuel on the airport's premises. The court imposed an administrative fine of 14.3 million tenge.
Earlier, on 19 February, the department of the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition (AZRK RK) completed an investigation into LLP “International Airport of Semey”. The court held the company administratively liable for abusing its dominant position by setting a high price for aviation fuel and imposed a fine of 8.8 million tenge and confiscation of income of 8.5 million tenge.