Driver’s License Corruption Case in Shymkent Goes to Trial

Authorities in Shymkent have completed an investigation into a large-scale corruption scheme involving the illegal issuance of driver's licenses, Orda.kz reports.

According to the city prosecutor’s office, in coordination with the Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA), officials uncovered an organized group that included employees and management of Specialized Public Service Center No. 2, part of the state-owned “Government for Citizens” corporation.

From 2023 to 2024, members of the scheme reportedly issued licenses without any driving tests. The cost of these services ranged from 150,000 to 400,000 tenge. Investigators say at least 500 licenses were distributed illegally, generating more than 150 million tenge in revenue.

Property belonging to the suspects — including homes, land plots, and vehicles — has been seized, with the total value exceeding 200 million tenge.

The case includes 15 defendants and has been submitted to court.

Earlier, we reported that the former head of the specialized center, Zhanibek Murashimov, was identified as the leader of the group. Authorities believe he oversaw the sale of licenses. 

The FMA also noted that traffic accidents in the region spiked as a result of the scheme.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov