Arguments are ongoing in court regarding the case of former culture minister Arystanbek Mukhamediuly. The ex-minister links all eight criminal cases opened against him to the Diplomat Hotel and his former friend Serik Karymsakov.
To recap, according to the prosecution, Karymsakov once approached Mukhamediuly asking to borrow 2.5 billion tenge. The ex-minister in turn demanded that 71% of the shares in Akterek LTD LLP, which held the Diplomat Hotel on its balance sheet, be transferred to his mother-in-law.
Later, Mukhamediuly insisted that the remaining share should also go to him, but was refused. After that, on his orders, the former owner Karymsakov was no longer allowed into the hotel. At the same time, Mukhamediuly claims the businessman deliberately sold him the hotel for 2.5 billion tenge.
According to Ratel.kz, Mukhamediuly told the court that his former friend used to seize back from businessmen properties he himself had sold. He also stated that Karymsakov repeatedly found buyers for the Diplomat Hotel for 2.5 billion, and then they would miraculously end up behind bars.
In response, the businessman's representative Arman Zhaksylykov, speaking on behalf of his client during the arguments, mentioned certain mysterious ladies.
"Based on some rumours, he accused Karymsakov of embezzling some funds, although this has nothing to do with the case at all. Arystanbek Mukhamadiyevich, you probably shouldn't take such rumours so seriously, let alone believe them. After all, we didn't believe the rumours that Bakyt and Saniya were your lovers. We didn't believe the 'Baikadam' stories that you gave the money from the sale of your assets to your second wife," Zhaksylykov stated.
Losing his composure, the ex-minister retorted heatedly: "At least I'm not a poof! Were they holding a candle for Karymsakov or what?"
"This queerness shows its helplessness. Whether he courted someone or not, does it relate to racketeering or not? They can't provide any arguments anymore, they just talk about who courted whom. I, for example, have a soft spot for this [Zhaidarman]. Tomorrow Zhaksylykov will say that Zhaidarman has warm relations with both Mukhamediuly and the prosecutor," said Arystanbek Mukhamediuly.
To recap, earlier the court found Mukhamediuly guilty of attempted bribery and increased his previous sentence from 8 to 11 years' imprisonment.
His wife was sentenced to 6 months' imprisonment for mediation in bribery. His lawyer was found guilty of fraud on an especially large scale and sentenced to 6 years and 8 months' imprisonment.