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
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