The videographer Ulan Nusipkozha stated in court that he twice filmed, on the instructions of Sanzhar Bokayev, the episode involving granite slabs by the Bolshaya Almatinka river. According to him, the first recording was rejected, and during the repeat filming Bokayev personally supervised the process.
WHY THE FIRST FILMING HAD TO BE REPEATED
In his testimony, Nusipkozha said that at first he did not want to film such a story himself: initially he had agreed with Bokayev only on editing and filming for specific assignments. However, according to the videographer, Bokayev insisted on working late in the evening and reminded him that he needed to "earn his salary".
The first attempt to film the video took place on 10 September 2025. Nusipkozha contacted a worker named Akhiddin, whom Bokayev described as a person familiar with the situation. He sent the videographer a geolocation. Nusipkozha filmed from a distance, including the loading and unloading of the slabs onto a manipulator crane. However, the slabs were unloaded not at the funeral services workshop but on a vacant lot. Bokayev criticised the recording and demanded that the material be re-filmed.
HOW THE REPEAT FILMING WENT
According to Nusipkozha, on 15 September 2025 he and Bokayev arrived at the location in a Toyota Land Cruiser 300. The manipulator loaded 12 granite slabs, and Bokayev personally commented on what was happening and filmed it on his phone, creating the impression that he had come to expose a theft.
The slabs were then delivered to a funeral services bureau in the village of Besagash. After filming his outrage, Bokayev, according to the cameraman, ordered the driver to load the slabs again and take them back to the river.
WHO IS AKHRIDIN KHAMRAKULOV
This refers to Akhridin Khamrakulov, about whom the FBRK already wrote in March 2026. At that time the man issued a video address and introduced himself as a labourer from Almaty. According to him, he met Bokayev in 2023, when he took part in renovating his house.
In his address, Khamrakulov also spoke about the circumstances of the episodes involving the granite slabs and the felling of trees in Baum Grove.
WHO PUBLISHED THE VIDEO
Nusipkozha said that he was responsible for filming and editing, while Bokayev personally handled the publication of the clip on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. The finished video came out on 17 September 2025 and garnered more than 1.5 million views.
According to the videographer, the first version of the clip did not satisfy Bokayev and was not published. The second recording — the one during which Bokayev personally took part in the filming and commented on what was happening — appeared on social media.
CONTEXT
On 16 October 2026 in Almaty, the trial began of Sanzhar Bokayev, his nephew Madiyar Kalmenov and videographer Ulan Nusipkozha. They have been charged under Article 190 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Fraud"), Article 188 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Theft"), Article 218 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Legalisation of money or property obtained by criminal means"), Article 340 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Illegal felling of trees and shrubs") and Article 274 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Dissemination of knowingly false information").
According to the investigation, the movement of funds through the accounts of affiliated structures involves a sum of more than 42 million tenge. Another episode concerns the videos about the granite slabs and the felling of trees in Baum Grove: the investigation believes that the filming may have been staged and aimed at discrediting the local authorities. The guilt of the defendants must be established by the court.
On 5 November 2026 at the Almalinsky District Court, the questioning of witnesses continued. During the proceedings, representatives of SALEM Hotel Management LLP and the Ramada hotel spoke, as well as entrepreneurs connected with the organisation of the "Europe — China" motor rally. For the fifth time, the defence demanded the recusal of Judge Zhanat Abenova, but the court refused.
Previously, two episodes surrounding the trial also attracted public attention. Accounts with signs of AI generation appeared on social media, creating the impression of mass support for Bokayev. In addition, lawyer Serik Berkamalov spoke out against attempts to influence the course of the proceedings through public pressure and appeals to international human rights mechanisms.
