(5 March 2026 | Source: MIA "Kazinform")
A verdict has been handed down in Petropavlovsk in a high-profile case involving former court chairmen, a lawyer, and businesspeople. According to the investigation, they attempted to influence court decisions and discussed transferring money for favourable outcomes in legal proceedings.
The verdict in the case was announced by the Petropavlovsk City Court, which considered the materials in an open court session presided over by Judge Assem Dzhanalina.
WHO WAS FOUND GUILTY
According to MIA "Kazinform", those convicted include Bekbol Baymakhanov, who chaired the specialised inter-district economic court of the North Kazakhstan Region (NKR) from 2022 to 2024. The court found him guilty of attempted fraud on an especially large scale and fraud.
Another defendant is the former chairman of Court No. 2 of Petropavlovsk, Yerlan Ibraev. He was found guilty of fraud committed by a group of persons on a large scale.
Also standing trial were lawyer from Almaty, Artyom Ivanov, and businesspeople Gevorg Poghosyan and Hamlet Melkonyan. They were charged with attempted bribery of an official.
LAND DISPUTE WORTH ALMOST 900 MILLION TENGE
One of the key episodes relates to a court dispute over land plots. According to case materials, a grain company obtained a bank loan and pledged land as collateral, including shares belonging to rural residents.
The company failed to meet its obligations to the bank, after which the debt amount grew to nearly 900 million tenge. The dispute went to court and ended up in the hands of a collection agency.
The investigation established that in the summer of 2024, lawyer Artyom Ivanov attempted to negotiate with the chairman of the economic court, Bekbol Baymakhanov, to secure a ruling in favour of the collection company.
According to the investigation, the discussions took place under the supervision of the Department of the National Security Committee (DNSC) for the North Kazakhstan Region with the authorisation of the Prosecutor General. The parties discussed the transfer of $50,000 for the desired court ruling.
In December 2024, Ivanov transferred part of the sum — $15,000 — through an intermediary. After the arrest, the money was found in the office of the court chairman.
EPISODE INVOLVING A ROAD COMPANY
Another episode in the case involves a contractor who carried out road repairs in the Akkayyn District of the NKR. The client was dissatisfied with the quality of the work and took the company to court, seeking to have it declared an dishonest participant in public procurement.
According to the investigation, businessperson Gevorg Poghosyan, fearing such a decision, decided to bribe the judges. Through an acquaintance, Hamlet Melkonyan, he contacted Yerlan Ibraev, who offered to resolve the matter for 2.5 million tenge.
As the court established, the businessperson handed over the money to Ibraev in the entrance of his home.
ATTEMPTED BANKRUPTCY RECOGNITION
Another episode involves the bankruptcy case of businessperson Hamlet Melkonyan, who owed creditors around 233 million tenge.
The court of first instance granted his bankruptcy application, but later the appellate instance overturned the decision, citing a lack of legal grounds.
The investigation believes that Bekbol Baymakhanov took personal control of this case, although he had no authority to interfere in the work of another judge.
SENTENCES HANDED DOWN BY THE COURT
Following the trial, the court found all defendants guilty.
- Bekbol Baymakhanov received 8 years' imprisonment in a medium-security institution. The court banned him from holding public office and working as a judge for life. Additionally, 1 million 284 thousand tenge was confiscated.
- Yerlan Ibraev was sentenced to 6 years' imprisonment with a lifelong ban from holding positions in the civil service and the confiscation of 2 million 250 thousand tenge.
- Artyom Ivanov received 6 years' imprisonment.
- Hamlet Melkonyan was sentenced to 4 years' imprisonment.
- Gevorg Poghosyan received 3.5 years' imprisonment.
The court ordered that the $15,000 seized during the investigation, found in Baymakhanov's office, be forfeited to the state.