Testimonies Continue in High-Profile Case Against Former Shymkent Security Official

The trial of Manat Sarbasov, a former high-ranking officer of the Shymkent branch of the National Security Committee (KNB), has been ongoing for over two months. The case is based largely on the testimony of businesswoman Elmira Duisenkyzy, who continues to testify in court.

Sarbasov faces several charges, including large-scale fraud, bribery, and the laundering of illegally obtained assets, Orda.kz reports.

In court, Sarbasov questioned inconsistencies in Duisenkyzy’s earlier testimony, particularly regarding her decision to stop cooperating with so-called "dead soul" schemes.

He referenced interrogation transcripts where she claimed to have refused involvement in August 2020 and blamed an education official, Tekebayeva, for tearing up a statement related to suspending her private school, Riana:

During the interrogation, you said that at the end of August 2020, on your initiative, we had a meeting, during which you said that you refused to work with 'dead souls,' since you understood that the criminal scheme that I was carrying out through you would not lead to anything good. During the confrontation, you said that the statement on the suspension of the activities of the Riana school was torn up by the deputy head of the education department Tekebayeva. Also, during the interrogation on October 14, you said that in August you met with me, not Tekebayeva.

Duisenkyzy clarified in court that these events occurred in 2019. She said she had called Sarbasov early in the morning and told him she was going to the education department to officially halt operations at Riana:

According to her, Sarbasov sent his deputy to intervene:

I called you early in the morning and said that I was going to Tekebayeva to write a statement to refuse the Riana school. You sent your deputy Mierkhan or Mierzhan. When I went to Tekebayeva's office, Mierzhan came in after me. I wanted to suspend the activities of the Riana school. Tekebayeva said that she would not accept the statement, and your deputy tore it up. Then I met with you, too.

In 2022, Aigul Tekebayeva, then deputy head of the city’s education department, was convicted in a separate case involving the misuse of budget funds related to "dead souls" at the Riana school.

She received a sentence of one and a half years of restricted freedom.

Duisenkyzy also told the court that in July 2020, she stopped making payments to Sarbasov for the humanitarian college project, stating that former regional education head Galymzhan Dzhumashev had instructed her to stop.

Dzhumashev forbade giving you money. And with you, Manat, there was a conversation when you sent your spouse for 10 million tenge. I said that the central office takes two and a half for the humanitarian college, and everything is currently suspended for "Riana" and at the moment I cannot transfer money, you resolve issues regarding "Riana". After all, I learned from Manat that an investigation is underway regarding the school. Dzhumashev forbade transferring money to Manat and said that they will only transfer it to the central office of the KNB,
 Duisenkyzy testified.

Sarbasov pressed her on why these details were missing from official interrogation records. She responded that she had informed investigators, and her lawyer noted that the investigator’s resolution referenced the information — implying the details were known.

Sarbasov then asked the court to obtain the full interrogation protocol where Duisenkyzy’s statements were recorded. He also referenced the resolution, stating that Dzhumashev had relayed a message from KNB officials that no more money should go to Sarbasov, and that Duisenkyzy complied.

Galymzhan Dzhumashev was convicted in early July for fraud and money laundering. The court found that Duisenkyzy had transferred more than 124 million tenge to him for “patronage.” He was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, with confiscation of property and a lifetime ban from public service.

The court has also begun questioning financial staff from Duisenkyzy’s company.

Orda.kz continues to follow the proceedings of this high-profile case.

Original Author: Alexandra Kim