Court No. 2 in Ust-Kamenogorsk has heard the criminal case against the head of the branch of the state institution "Kazselezashchita" of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan "East Kazakhstan Territorial Operational Administration" Sovetbek Stanbekov. He was accused of fraud using his official position.
According to the press service of the courts of the East Kazakhstan Region, the defendant fictitiously employed his acquaintance as a branch observer, who did not actually perform his job duties.
Over a certain period, the salary accrued to the man was cashed out and handed over to the defendant. The total amount of illegally appropriated funds, including pension contributions, amounted to 2,734,881 tenge.
During the court hearing, the accused admitted his guilt, repented of his actions, and voluntarily compensated for the damage caused.
As a result, the court found Stanbekov guilty and sentenced him to 3 years' imprisonment with a lifetime ban on holding positions in the civil service.
According to Ratel.kz, during the court hearing, Sovetbek Stanbekov stated that he was forced to fictitiously employ his acquaintance to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the department.
He said that from 2023 to 2024, virtually no funds were allocated to the branch, except for salary and fuel expenses. At the same time, Stanbekov claimed that he repaired the administrative building and maintained 23 units of the branch's equipment at his own expense.
For context, in July last year, the Almaty Regional Court overturned the acquittal in the case of the former head of the state institution "Kazselezashchita" Karim Kokrekbayev, who was accused of receiving exceptionally large bribes for patronage. Alongside him on the defendants' bench were his deputy Adilet Akhatayev and the director of the LLP Andrey Poplavsky, who were accused of receiving and giving a bribe.
Initially, the court acquitted Kokrekbayev of all charges brought against him, while finding his accomplices guilty and sentencing them to 11 years' imprisonment.