The specialised inter-district criminal court of Astana has examined a case involving fraud, incitement to bribe Anti-Corruption Service officers, and an attempt to bribe.
According to the court press service, the defendants B. and D. deceitfully persuaded a suspect in the theft of grain, Zh., to give them $350,000 for the purported onward payment to Anti-Corruption Service officers in exchange for help in halting the criminal case.
"In June 2023, for this purpose, B. received $245,000 from Zh. and handed it over to D., and they used the funds as they saw fit. D.'s claims that they handed over the $245,000 to lawyer K. were not confirmed. Subsequently, B. and D. received $50,000 from Zh. and were detained by officers of the Anti-Corruption Service," the statement reads.
In the end, the court sentenced B. and D. to 10 years' imprisonment, with a lifelong ban from holding certain positions. Sums of $10,000 and $40,000 were recovered from them respectively. Zh. was sentenced to 8 years and 5 months' imprisonment, with a lifelong ban from holding certain positions.
"The presence of minor children among the defendants was recognised as a mitigating circumstance for liability and punishment. The verdict has not yet entered into legal force," the statement reads.