Corruption Web: The Sarbasov Case And Secret Routes Of Budget Money

The high-profile case of security officer Manat Sarbasov continues: entrepreneurs and officials stand trial, accused of fraud involving state purchases of medical equipment and masks for Shymkent’s Health Department. During interrogations, company heads claimed they had trusted others with their firms, not realizing they would be drawn into the corruption scheme, Orda.kz reports.

The court is increasingly focusing on how state funds allocated for medical equipment and protective gear may have been siphoned off through affiliated companies.

Alinar Company: A Business For A Friend

The head of Alinar Company gave testimony. He stated that in 2020, entrepreneur Yerlan Tyshkambayev — one of the defendants — approached him with an offer to participate in tenders for the supply of medical equipment using the company.

He asked me as a friend to grant him access to the company. I gave him the digital signature and seal. He prepared all the documents himself, and I only signed and sent them to Shymkent,the witness said. 

A total of 64 million tenge was credited to the company’s account, then transferred to Tyshkambayev’s sole proprietorship. The witness insisted that he was only minimally involved, participating formally, though he admitted receiving “a small sum” for providing cover.

Fortuna Mobile: Accessories And Millions

The court also heard testimony from the head of the sole proprietorship Fortuna Mobile, registered as a mobile accessories business. She confirmed that her business was effectively used by defendant Tyshkambayev, who was listed as an accountant.

I let him use my sole proprietorship. He was listed as an accountant and paid the taxes himself, she told the court.

Investigators said more than 86 million tenge in total passed through Fortuna Mobile’s accounts before being transferred onward. The owner claimed she only learned of these transactions when summoned to the National Security Committee and informed of the amounts.

Money For The Family

Investigators traced the funds further. From Fortuna Mobile and Kas Medica LLP accounts, 13.4 million tenge was transferred to a bank account in the name of Sarbasov’s wife’s sister. This was only an intermediate stage. Later in 2020, the money was split: 6.3 million tenge was withdrawn in cash, while nearly the same amount — 6.96 million — was sent via bank transfer on Sarbasov’s direct orders.

After hearing testimony from company owners who said they had trusted their partners and never expected their firms to be pulled into the scheme, the court moved to review expert conclusions. A state audit expert presented her findings on the invalidity of the transactions — sparking fresh disputes between prosecution and defense.

State Audit Questioned By The Defense

A state audit specialist with over 15 years of procurement experience and a state auditor’s certificate testified in court. She concluded that the tenders showed signs of invalid transactions: while prices formally matched Ministry of Health standards, the contracts were awarded through affiliated firms and involved officials legally barred from business activity.

Defense lawyers challenged her findings. They argued that her education was in economics — she was trained as an economics teacher, not a lawyer — and that her professional courses could not be equated with a legal qualification.

They claimed she had exceeded her authority by effectively giving a legal assessment, which is the court’s responsibility. The defense also pointed out that even after the COVID-19 state of emergency ended, special “single-source” procurement rules remained in force, and the contracts in question complied with those provisions.

Orda.kz continues to monitor developments in this high-profile corruption case.

Original Author: Alexandra Kim