Family of Accountant Sentenced to Seven Years Claims Fabricated Case Involving Baibek Family Member

In July, accountant Rizagul Makhmetova was sentenced to seven years in prison for allegedly embezzling more than 281 million tenge from Aray Media Group LLP. Her family and defense team insist the charges were fabricated and that she became a scapegoat in a conflict with the company’s founder, Aigul Baibek, Orda.kz reports.

The Claims

At a press conference at the National Press Club, Makhmetova’s sister, Moldir Amanzholova, described how her sibling, once a trusted employee, suddenly became the target of a criminal case.

My sister, Rizagul Makhmetova, a simple accountant and mother of two children, was sentenced to seven years for theft, which she did not commit. She worked at Aray Media Group and, as an ordinary employee, carried out all actions on direct orders from the director Madina Abisheva and the founder of the company Aigul Baibek, Amanzholova said.

Aigul Baibek, the sister of former Almaty akim and Nazarbayev ally Bauyrzhan Baibek, allegedly threatened Makhmetova after the accountant asked for a salary increase.

Moldir also explained why the conflict with the company’s founder arose:

Rizagul said that she asked for a raise in her salary, to which Aigul Baibek began to respond aggressively. And then Rizagul said: 'If so, then I will probably quit.' In response, Baibek began to threaten, saying that she would put her in jail, that she would destroy her. And now she is demonstrating her influence, her superiority, showing that she has influence and opportunities.

From Witness to Defendant

Lawyer Gulmira Shaldykova explained that the case was initially opened on Baibek’s statement about theft. Both the director, Madina Abisheva, and Makhmetova (listed under her married name, Kumanova, during trial) were first treated as witnesses with the right to defense.

Madina Abisheva, just like Rizagul, received money from the LLP into her personal account, and she also transferred it under contracts with individual entrepreneurs for services. That is, Madina carried out the same operations. However, the investigation never brought the criminal case against Abisheva to court. Madina was used as the main witness who testified against my client. She gave testimony that did not correspond to the factual circumstances of the case.

Yet only Makhmetova was later charged under Article 189, Part 4, Clause 2 of the Criminal Code — theft on an especially large scale.

When money is transferred from a personal account for certain needs, the tax burden is reduced, this was beneficial for the victim Aigul Baibek. But in court, she stated that it was Rizagul who, on her own initiative, transferred money to her personal account and managed the funds. To believe that from 2019 to 2023, the founder Aigul Baibek allegedly did not pay attention to where the funds were going is something from the realm of fantasy.

Evidence

According to the defense, the court dismissed critical evidence, including contracts, certificates of completed work, and receipts, because they were examined by a private rather than a state expert —  law allows both. Even the state economic examination used by the court did not establish theft, only showing the company’s turnover and transfers.

Shaldykova pointed out contradictions in the verdict, noting that Makhmetova returned part of the funds — 66 million tenge — to the company account, yet the court still counted this amount as damage.

The defense also claims procedural violations: they were only allowed to access the verdict on the 20th day, although the law grants 15 days to appeal. The Astana City Court has since accepted the appeal for review.

Amanzholova stressed that the family seeks justice:

We are not asking for pity, we are asking for our voices to be heard and for the evidence to be accepted. My sister is innocent and must be acquitted. We must all be equal before the court, including those who bear the influential name of Baibek.

The Baibek Family

Aigul Baibek is the sister of Bauyrzhan Baibek, once considered one of Nazarbayev’s closest political allies. A former akim of Almaty and deputy chair of the Nur Otan (now AMANAT) party, Bauyrzhan Baibek, has recently disappeared from Kazakhstan’s public life and social media.

Rumors placed him in Germany, and in March 2025, he was spotted in Japan.

His father, Kydyrgali Baibek, was a classmate of the first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who actively promoted Bauyrzhan’s political career.

Original Author: Anastasia Prilepskaya