Almaty Economic Investigations Department Accused of Сommandeering Altyn Orda Market

Yesterday, Majilis deputy Abzal Kuspan accused the Department of Economic Investigations of illegally selling the Altyn Orda market, Orda.kz reports.

In 2022, the President instructed Almaty Akim Yerbolat Dosayev and the head of the Almaty region to restore order to the market. However, as Abzal Kuspan emphasized, officials do not have the authority to act in such a capacity since law enforcement agencies have jurisdiction.

After the President gave the order, the Almaty Economic Development Department opened a criminal case and within two months the department's management, which was investigating the case, appropriated (the market's assets. — Ed.). If before that the authorities accused Bolat Nazarbayev of seizing the Altyn Orda market, then during the investigation the law enforcement officers themselves took it and appropriated it. Kazakhs have a saying that one thief stole from another. Not even stole, but robbed. I call it robbery in broad daylight,
 said Abzal Kuspan on the sidelines of the Majilis.

The deputy claims that Altyn Orda was taken in just one day when the investigator lifted the arrest on the market. In other words, "the department's leadership reregistered it to themselves."

It turns out that if we have been blaming Bolat Nazarbayev all this time, now we can confidently blame the leadership of the Almaty City Department of Economic Investigations, he added.

Deputies have met with prosecutors and the FMA but have yet to find answers. Meanwhile, the case against Bolat Nazarbayev is still reportedly being investigated. The deputy believes that it should have been closed due to the latter's death.

Why are they still dragging it out? Because money is being pumped out of the Altyn Orda market every day. It is being taken out in cash. We all understand that there is mostly illicit cash at the market, so the Akims are powerless here, they cannot bring order here. All questions should be addressed to the KNB. The Fifth Department should have given a legal assessment of the activities of the DEI Almaty leadership. The Prosecutor's Office should have supervised this case accordingly, the parliamentarian believes.

The Majilis deputy expressed puzzlement about how order in the country could be established if the state cannot establish order in one market.

Aidarbek Khusainov, the former owner of a 39.1763% stake in Kurylys LTD, has been trying to regain his asset for over six months. In 2013, the Altyn Orda market was taken over by Serik Apsaparov in a raider attack. On February 9, 2023, the raider was found guilty and sentenced to three years probation. Apsaparov pleaded guilty and received a three-year suspended sentence without confiscation of property. His time spent in custody was put towards his sentence, resulting in a two-year reduction.

On April 11, 2022, Khusainov filed a statement with the Almaty Region Department of Economic Investigations.

He was recognized as a victim. On April 19, Bolat Nazarbayev sold the market: a 95% stake went to LLP "Company Number One." Its founder was Yerkeblan Khamzin, a former fighter against pseudo-entrepreneurship and former deputy of the capital's Department of Economic Investigations. Five percent went to Daniyar Alpiyev.

Original Author: Zhadra Zhulmukhametova