Trial of Former National Security Officer Manat Sarbasov Continues in Shymkent

The high-profile trial of former senior Shymkent National Security Committee official Manat Sarbasov is ongoing in Shymkent. He faces charges of large-scale fraud, accepting and giving bribes, and laundering criminal proceeds. The hearings are open to the public and are being conducted with a jury, Orda.kz reports.

This week’s proceedings focused on the testimony of businesswoman Elmira Duisenkyzy, whose statements are considered key concerning alleged long-standing “patronage” arrangements.

She claims they were organized by Sarbasov through a mutual acquaintance, Alikhanova.

According to Duisenkyzy, as early as the 2010s, she was offered the opportunity to pay one million tenge per month in exchange for uninterrupted business operations. Initially, she said, Sarbasov communicated the amount and method through Alikhanova.

Later, she claims, he began setting the terms directly.

At first it was a million (presumably Tenge - Ed.) a month. A year later, the rate rose to two and a half million, and in 2019, to seven and a half. As soon as we opened a college in Qazaly or Taraz, the amounts immediately grew. He himself said: ‘Your business is developing – the rate should be higher,’
 the businesswoman stated in court.

According to Duisenkyzy, over the past 13 years, the total amount of payments to Sarbasov reached approximately 435 million tenge. These calculations, she noted, were made in collaboration with her lawyer and the investigator, and included both regular payments and specific sums for “commissions” and “trips.”

One incident involved the alleged transfer of $10,000 before Sarbasov’s departure to Almaty.

Sarbasov responded to the testimony, disputing parts of Duisenkyzy’s account. He stated that during their in-person questioning on July 3, 2023, she had attributed the initiative to Alikhanova and claimed he had not set the amounts.

Duisenkyzy said this discrepancy was due to the time elapsed and the nature of the questions she had been asked during the investigation.

I have forgotten a lot. The first questinoning was a year after the events. Yes, there may have been inaccuracies. But I am sure that Sarbasov himself offered patronage,
 she said.

In the afternoon session, Zhupar Agmanova, Duisenkyzy’s assistant and nurse, also testified. She said she had seen Sarbasov in Duisenkyzy’s office multiple times and had personally handed money to both Sarbasov and his wife.

One of the incidents, according to her, took place in 2020:

Before the flight, Elmira Duisenkyzy left me money, seven and a half million tenge. She told me to keep it with me, they would take it later. Three or four days later, Elmira Duisenkyzy called and told me to go down to the reception area, and they would take the money from me there. Sarbasov himself came for the money. I gave it to him personally. The second time, Elmira Duisenkyzy was sick, lying with an IV. She asked me to take 10 million from the safe. Sarbasov’s wife drove up to the house in a white headscarf and glasses. I went out, said hello, and handed over the bag of money through the car window,
 Agmanova said.

Botagoz Myrzakhmetova, head of the HR department at Duisenkyzy’s company, also testified. She stated that while she did not personally hand over money to Sarbasov, she was aware of the regular payments and was occasionally involved in preparing the cash.

The trial is ongoing, and several questions remain unresolved. One key issue is determining how the 435 million tenge was used and whether it indeed represented payments for "silence."

The Orda.kz editorial team will continue to follow the proceedings. The next hearing is scheduled for June 4 at 10:00 in the Specialized Inter-District Criminal Court of Shymkent.

Original Author: Alexandra Kim