Culture and Sports Vice Minister Erlan Kozhagapanov found guilty of unspecified charges
In the city of Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana), a court has made its ruling against Yerlan Khozagapanov, a former Vice-Minister of Culture and Sports, and Lazzat Kokkozova, the general director of TOO "S K".
Khozagapanov faces charges of abusing his power, while Kokkozova stands accused of large-scale embezzlement of public funds through deceit and abuse of office.
Evidence, including expert conclusions and witness testimonies, proved that Khozagapanov, in his position as Vice-Minister, manipulated departmental indicators and advanced his career by ordering the Committee of Industry and Tourism to sign contracts and accept certificates with TOO "S K" for a forum in Kostanay region in 2018.
Kokkozova, as the leader of "S K", offered a commercial offer with an inflated budget of 2.9 billion tenge and embezzled over 1 billion tenge through fraudulent means.
Both defendants denied their guilt, asking for acquittal. However, the court found them guilty despite their plea.
Khozagapanov received a 3-year prison sentence and a permanent ban on holding state service positions. The court did not see a need for additional restrictions on his freedom.
Kokkozova was sentenced to 5 years in prison and a 7-year ban on holding leadership positions in organizations related to forum organization. The court did not find any efforts by Kokkozova to compensate for the damage done.
The Committee of Industry and Tourism's civil claim was satisfied within the limits of the damage determined by the court, and the damage was recovered from Kokkozova.
The verdict is yet to become final. It's worth noting that Kazakhstan has faced a persistent issue with corruption, and high-profile cases involving officials or entrepreneurs often generate both domestic and international attention. However, it's crucial to verify claims and sources when researching individual cases like this one.
The court's ruling in Nur-Sultan, against Yerlan Khozagapanov and Lazzat Kokkozova, is a significant development in policy-and-legislation and politics, as it addresses charges of abuse of power and large-scale embezzlement. This general-news story also highlights the ongoing issue of crime-and-justice, with the two defendants being sentenced to prison and barred from holding certain positions, due to their misuse of authority.
