Kazakhstan: Court Continues Trial Against Khasan Kasymbayev
Photo: Orda
The trial of Khasan Kasymbayev, who has been rumored to be the leader of the “Khutor” organized crime group, continues in Talgar, Orda.kz reports.
Kasymbayev has denied any ties to the group.
One of the prosecutors in the case, Nazgul Tauekenbay, has been removed from the proceedings.
Prosecutors read out the indictment. In it, Kasymbayev and his associates are described as a group engaged in violence and extortion. According to the prosecution, several counts are under review.
The first concerns businessman Aripzhan Tazhiyev. Investigators claim he was lured outside under false pretenses, assaulted, and ordered to hand over one million tenge.
“Tazhiyev sustained serious injuries and was forced to seek medical treatment,” the indictment states.
The second count involves an attack in 2021 on Arman Alimov.
During the hearing, MMA fighter Arman Alimov testified, claiming that Khasan organized his kidnapping and assault in 2021.
Answering the prosecutor’s questions, he gave his version of events.
“I’ve known Khasan since 2016–2017. In the summer of 2021, Madiyar Kalimzhanov, Daniyar Askarov, and Sailay Akzhanov attacked Talgat Kalmuratov, who was returning from training. I went to the hospital to visit him, and he told me everything. After that, an Audi followed me around for two weeks.
When I saw Ruslan Aliyev near a playground where I had set up a pull-up bar, I realized I was being watched.
Later, five men attacked me in a shop. Madiyar greeted me, but immediately began hitting me. A car was waiting outside. I was badly beaten, lost consciousness, and woke up on the back seat. Ruslan was holding my legs, Madiyar — my torso, Sailay — my head.
They dragged me outside and started interrogating me. They had wooden and metal bats in their hands. They accused me of being involved in a 2020 shootout in Yenbekshikazakh district, saying I had sent my younger brothers there. Madiyar showed me his gunshot wound from that incident and was crying. They called Khasan, and he told them to record the interrogation.
In the evening, Khasan arrived and ordered them to stop.
I had nothing to do with that shootout. Now I’ve lost vision in my right eye — it only sees blurred outlines — and I suffered broken ribs, as well as kidney and lung damage,” Alimov told the court.
The defense argued that the victim’s testimony had no meaning.
Rumored Khutor
After the killing of Sherzat Polat in Talgar, residents began speaking about a gang bearing this name.
However, police officials, including the senior leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, denied the existence of any organized criminal group in the city.
Following Sherzat's death, Khasan Kasymbayev was detained. His brother, Aslan Kasymbayev, was dismissed from his post in the district akimat.
It also became known that another brother of the accused, Yerzhan Kasymbayev, had previously been implicated in a homicide case. He was charged with the intentional killing of customs officer Medet Zhamashev.
Original Author: Author: Islam Aden
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