Former Employees of Key Witness Testify in Sarbasov Trial

Former employees of Elmira Duisenkyzy are continuing to testify in court as part of the case against former Shymkent National Security Committee officer Manat Sarbasov, Orda.kz reports.

Duisenkyzy claims she paid Sarbasov 435 million tenge over 13 years for “patronage” and assistance. She also told investigators that in 2020 she gave him $30,000 to ensure a favorable outcome of a financial control audit of her Reana school.

The businesswoman was later convicted of fraud and document forgery in a separate case, in which she caused 278 million tenge in damages through false employment schemes. She is now serving a six-year sentence.

She told investigators that her lawyer had spoken to a financial control official connected to Sarbasov and was told the issue could be resolved for $30,000 — an amount written on a piece of paper. According to Duisenkyzy, her employee had also made repeated visits to the financial control department to follow up on the audit.

Adil Abuov, who worked as a lawyer for Duisenkyzy’s company for over a year, testified in court:

And she said that the KNB called there and said that they would be informed. She said that the issue would be resolved for money, but with whom and for what amount, I don't know... I also told him that I came from Duysenkyzy and that you have to tell me something. He replied that everything would be within the law. Later, I took cover letters and documents there. The amount was not announced there. No one wrote on a piece of paper.

Sarbasov’s defense noted discrepancies between Abuov’s and Duisenkyzy’s accounts and requested that Abuov testify in court.

Another witness, Venera Stay, who worked for Duisenkyzy for nearly 11 years, said she had seen Sarbasov in the office several times and once handed him an envelope with money. She also gave envelopes to a man named Murat, allegedly a contact of Sarbasov’s.

She recalled seeing Sarbasov for the first time in 2006 or 2007:

In 2006 or 2007, I was next to Duysenkyzy, Alikhanova called her and told her to quickly come to the college for a meeting... At that moment, on the college grounds in front of the building, I saw Alikhanova and Manat. The three of them talked for about 30 minutes. That was the first time I saw Manat.

Sarbasov disputed parts of her testimony:

According to Elmira, she and Alikhanova came only once, in November 2007. It was not a day off, but a work day... Secondly, we did not talk on the street, but in her office... Why did you not report during the investigation that you gave me an envelope with money? Did you tell the investigator that you gave the envelope to Murat several times?

Venera Stay responded that she had answered all the investigator’s questions.

The court continues to hear from former employees at the request of the defense. Orda.kz is following the trial as it develops.
 
Original Author: Alexandra Kim