A judge of the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan sentenced to five years in prison for a bribe received from another judge

The dismissed judge of the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan, Meiram Zhanguttinov, was sentenced to five years in prison for corruption, informs Radio Azattyk. He was found guilty of accepting a bribe from a district judge of the Turkestan region, who wanted to move to another position. The verdict was passed by the court number 2 of the Baikonyr district of the city of Nur-Sultan. Zhanguttinov was charged with Art. 24 and Art. 190 (attempted fraud) of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan.

The arrest of Judge Zhanguttinov red-handed by employees of the Anti-Corruption Service became known on February 11. He was accused of accepting a bribe in the amount of $ 7 thousand. For this money, the judge was supposed to help the judge of the Al-Farabi district court of the city of Shymkent Liza Turgunbaeva to move to work in another court.

The mediator in the transfer of money was the lawyer Daulet Abdusattarov. The criminal case against him was terminated before the trial “in connection with a voluntary report to the law enforcement agency about giving a bribe.”

Turgunbayeva pleaded guilty and testified that she had transferred money to Zhanguttinov as a bribe through Abdusattarov, who confirmed her testimony.

“There is a receipt from Abdusattarov on receipt of funds. Turgunbaeva’s daughter confirmed the transfer of money to Abdusattarov. According to the recordings of the meeting and conversation between Turgunbaeva and Abdusattarov, it is clear that they are discussing the circumstances and purpose of the transfer of money. According to the results of secret investigative actions, inspection of the scene of the incident, it was established that Zhanguttinov received $ 7 thousand from Abdusattarov, ”the court noted.

According to the initial version of the investigation, based on the testimony of Abdusattarov, Zhanguttinov received $ 27,000 from Turgunbaeva. However, this figure could not be confirmed.

Zhanguttinov did not admit his guilt and claimed that $ 27,000 had been appropriated by Abdusattarov, who promised Turgunbaeva assistance with transfer to the capital, writes Ratel.kz. When the transfer failed and the money was demanded to be returned from him through the court, he wrote a statement to the Anti-Corruption Service, in which he said that the entire amount was allegedly spent on bribes to judges of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Judicial Council.

A criminal case was initiated against Turgunbaeva under Art. 367 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan (giving a bribe). She was sentenced to five years in prison. Both judges, who became involved in the case, are deprived of the right to hold positions in the civil service for life.

In the Corruption Perceptions Index, submitted by by the international organization Transparency International in January 2021, Kazakhstan is among the countries with a high level of corruption. With 38 points, Kazakhstan ranks 94th, sharing it with Brazil, Ethiopia, Peru, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Suriname and Tanzania.

Denmark and New Zealand became the leaders (they scored 88 points). Syria, Somalia and South Sudan occupy the last lines with the results of 14, 12 and 12 points, respectively. Russia received 30 points, roughly on the same level as the Central Asian republics.

The rating covers 180 countries and territories.