On 20 April 2026, the Kokshetau city court announced the verdict in a criminal case concerning the embezzlement of budget funds during the construction of an embankment along Lake Kopa. Three defendants received actual prison sentences.
WHO WAS FOUND GUILTY
According to the Akmola Region Prosecutor's Office, the following were found guilty: a former head of the housing and communal services (HCS) department of the Kokshetau city akimat, a technical supervision representative, and the head of a contracting organisation.
Their actions were classified under Article 190, Part 4 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Fraud on an especially large scale"), Article 361, Part 4 ("Exceeding official authority"), and Article 218 ("Legalisation (laundering) of property obtained by criminal means").
WHAT THE INVESTIGATION ESTABLISHED
The investigation was carried out by special prosecutors from the Akmola Region. The investigation established that in 2020, during the construction of the embankment along Lake Kopa, the aforementioned individuals embezzled budget funds totalling over 170 million tenge.
The embezzled funds were subsequently legalised.
WHAT SENTENCES THE COURT IMPOSED
The convicted individuals received actual prison sentences of 5 years and 8 months, 6 years and 8 months, and 9 years, respectively.
The court's verdict has not yet entered into legal force.