Trial Continues in High-Profile Case Against Former Shymkent KNB Official

Court proceedings are ongoing in Shymkent in the case against Manap Sarbasov, a former senior official of the Shymkent branch of the National Security Committee. He is accused of large-scale fraud, bribery, and laundering illegally obtained assets, Orda.kz reports.

According to the investigation, Sarbasov used funds received from businesswoman Elmira Duisenkyzy to purchase real estate. His relatives have disputed these claims in court.

Investigators allege that in 2019, Sarbasov used part of the money to buy a two-room apartment worth over 15 million tenge in the Biik residential complex, registering it in his father's name. After renovations, the property was rented out, and over 4.6 million tenge in rental income was transferred to his wife's bank account.

In 2020, Sarbasov reportedly used additional funds from Duisenkyzy to purchase a two-level apartment in the same complex for 34 million tenge. It was registered under the name of his wife’s sister. The apartment was later sold for 77 million tenge, and the proceeds — over 92 million tenge by March 2024 — were deposited in her account.

Sarbasov’s father, Omarkhan, testified that he purchased the first apartment himself:

I do not agree with the investigation's version. I have worked all my life. I have my own business, and I also have seven apartments, one of which I gave to my daughter. I transferred the second apartment to my only daughter-in-law, Manap's wife. I did this so that she would have at least some income to pay for household expenses and grandchildren's clubs. I bought a two-room apartment in the Biik residential complex with my own money,
he said in court, noting he had run a curtain business for three decades.

Sarbasov’s wife supported this version, stating that the two-level apartment had been purchased by her sister:

Their family is well off, the husband is a businessman, she is an English teacher. They have their own toykhana (facility for events - Ed.), recently opened a recreation area. At the same time as the apartment in the Biik residential complex, she bought another one in the Sultan residential complex. I lived in this apartment for some time due to problems in the family, this does not mean that it was bought with our money. 

She also said she had met Elmira Duisenkyzy only once and did not know Zhupar Agmanova, who claimed in court to have given her 10 million tenge.

The defense has requested that ten additional employees of Elmira Duisenkyzy be summoned for questioning.

Orda.kz continues to follow developments in the case.

Original Author: Alexandra Kim