Ulytau Region's Chief Ecologist Jailed for Bribe

A Jezkazgan court sentenced Dastan Tleubekov, his deputy, and two entrepreneurs in a corruption case, Orda.kz reports.

According to investigators, the head of the ecology department, Dastan Tleubekov, and his deputy accepted bribes totaling 5,250,000 tenge in the autumn of last year.

Tleubekov personally received an additional 2,500,000 tenge in January. The officials took these payments in exchange for assisting businesses.

Two companies were implicated in the corruption scheme.

Ulytau Sottary reports that general directors of certain limited liability companies paid bribes to secure approval for environmental projects and emission standards in Satpayev. The companies' identities remain undisclosed.

An additional businessman was involved in the case, having paid Tleubekov for an environmental permit.

However, this portion of the criminal case was dismissed for unspecified reasons.

Before going to trial, all officials and businessmen fully admitted their guilt.

The court took into account the full admission of guilt, remorse, and the presence of young children among some of the defendants as mitigating circumstances. At the same time, the violation of the professional oath by Tleubekov and his deputy was recognized as an aggravating circumstance.

The court sentenced Dastan Tleubekov and his deputy to six years imprisonment. The business executives received financial penalties — fines of 35 and 70 million tenge, respectively.

Tleubekov had led the regional department since September 2022.

Originally from Qaraganda, where he completed his higher education, he began working as an ecologist at Nova Zinc in the late 1990s. He entered the government environmental protection service in 2003, rising from chief specialist to department head of state control.

He also served as head of the Department of Environmental Assessment and Permits at the Ministry of Ecology.

Original Author: Zarina Fayzulina