Verdict Issued in Bribery Case Against Military Officers in Aqtobe

The Aqtobe Garrison Military Court has delivered a verdict in the bribery case involving Colonel Mukhit Dzhavgashev, Orda.kz reports.

The case was initiated under the article "Receiving a bribe by extortion by a group of persons by prior conspiracy." Alongside Dzhavgashev, Senior Lieutenant Askhat Saduakasov, one of his subordinates, was also tried.

As previously reported by Orda.kz in January, 700,000 tenge was found on the officers at the time of their arrest. The court has confirmed that the sum was indeed part of a bribe.

The court found both officers guilty. Dzhavgashev was sentenced to nine years in prison, and Saduakasov to eight. Both were stripped of their military ranks and ordered to pay 20 MCI to the fund for victim compensation.

The 700,000 tenge in bribe money, held by the Mangystau Region’s National Security Committee during the investigation, will be returned to the victim, Turmagambetov.

Colonel Dzhavgashev, 47, was previously linked to another high-profile case. He had headed the Southern Regional Military Investigative Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In 2023, his former subordinate, Chief Accountant Maksat Mukat, was convicted of embezzling 126 million tenge.

During that trial, Mukat claimed he had acted under Dzhavgashev’s direction, stating the colonel spent the stolen money on personal luxuries, including gifts and travel expenses for a mistress. Mukat alleged he had been pressured into taking full responsibility to shield his superior.

Dzhavgashev, who testified as a witness, denied all accusations and claimed he had complete trust in his subordinate.

At the time, the court found no grounds to charge Dzhavgashev but issued a private ruling to the Minister of Internal Affairs, pointing to structural issues in the department’s operations.

Despite the controversy, Dzhavgashev was appointed head of the Western Regional Military Investigative Department in 2023. He relocated to Aqtau, where he was detained by the National Security Committee of Mangystau Region in December 2024 on bribery charges.

Original Author: Dinara Bekbolayeva