Prosecutors Seek Harsher Sentence for Ex-Culture Vice Minister Yerlan Kozhagapanov
Photo: Primeminister.kz
The Astana Court of Appeal is continuing to hear the case of former Vice Minister of Culture of Kazakhstan Yerlan Kozhagapanov, Orda.kz reports, citing Kursiv Media.
Currently serving three years in prison for abuse of office, Kozhagapanov faces a push from prosecutors to increase his sentence to seven years. Prosecutor Aktore Berikov has also called for a lifetime ban from public office and the revocation of two state awards — the Bauyrzhan Momyshuly Order of Aibyn, 2nd degree, and the Qurmet Order.
The prosecution further demands that Kozhagapanov and his co-defendant, businesswoman Lyazzat Kokkozova, repay roughly 1.9 billion tenge in damages, while maintaining the seizure of the former official’s assets.
Kozhagapanov was detained in March 2024 by the Anti-Corruption Service. Investigators allege that in 2018, he lobbied for a private company’s interests in securing a contract to organize the XV Interregional Forum of Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia, inflating costs to steal about one billion tenge in budget funds.
Following a five-month trial, the Astana Criminal Court sentenced him on May 9 to three years in prison, while Kokkozova received five years.
Original Author: Raushan Korzhumbekova
Latest news
- Kazakhstan’s Credit Rating Upgraded for First Time in a Decade
- While Thousands Lost Power, KEGOC Executives Received Nearly Half a Billion Tenge
- Changi Airport Group May Help Build Astana’s New Airport
- US Again Extends Deadline for Lukoil to Sell Its Assets in Kazakhstan
- Kazakhstan Extradites Business Manager From Russia in 290 Million Tenge Tax Case
- Released Amur Tiger Successfully Hunts in Kazakhstan’s Wild
- Kazakhstan Moves to Develop Critical Minerals as Global Competition Intensifies
- Another Performance by Kazakh Stand-Up Comedian Called Off
- Uzbekistan Begins Preparations for Second Nuclear Power Plant
- Backpack Links Glacier Remains to Man Missing for 19 Years
- 650-Hectare Wildfire Contained in Karaganda Region
- Unusual Wildlife Encounter Captured in Altyn-Emel
- Retired Border Service Dog Sold for $2 at Kazakhstan Auction
- Will Kazakhstan Have Enough Coal This Winter?
- Belarusian Hikers Find Body on Glacier Near Almaty
- Kazakhstan Investigates Spending on 242 Million Tenge Educational Game
- Kazakhstan Makes Caspian Oil Companies Pay for Counterterrorism Deployments
- Kazakhstan Faces Shortage of 245,000 School Places
- Waste Dumping Reported Near Yurt Camps at Lake Zaisan
- Kazakh Oil Rerouted to Novorossiysk as Russia Frees Baltic Export Capacity
