Six Convicted in Maykainzoloto Tragedy

The former general director of Maykainzoloto has been sentenced to four years in prison over the deaths of four rescuers, while five other defendants received prison terms of three to three and a half years, Orda.kz reports, citing Irbis.

All six were found guilty under Article 277 of the Criminal Code — violation of safety regulations during mining operations.

The guilt of each person was proven by the totality of evidence collected over nearly five months of investigation. Witnesses, victims, and experts were questioned. The expert opinion on the causes of the accident formed the basis for the charges, the court stated.

Two defendants received three and a half years each, another two received three years, and the sixth — a 75-year-old man — was given a three-year suspended sentence.

However, the court denied the victims’ families compensation for moral damages. Relatives asked for 5 million tenge per adult and 25 million per child, but the court ruled that the company had already made voluntary payments.

The fatal incident occurred in January 2024 in the Bayanaul district, when a bus carrying rescuers fell into a collapsed area at the mine site. Search operations continued for six months, and the body of the final victim was only recovered half a year later.

The trial began in the district court but was later transferred to Yekibastuz after a judge resigned.

Earlier, in February, two former employees of the Industrial Safety Department received restricted freedom sentences for negligence. Investigators determined they had known about violations at Maykainzoloto since 2016 but never ensured they were rectified.

A special investigation ultimately confirmed the employer's full responsibility for the tragedy, despite attempts by the company to challenge the findings.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov