Kazakhstan demands Khrapunov extradition from Switzerland

Kazakhstan has requested extradition of a former Akim (Mayor) of Almaty city Victor Khrapunov, Tengrinews reports citing the Prosecutor General’s Office.

“Kazakhstani Prosecutor General’s Office is not conducting any investigation (in regards to the Khrapunov case) at the territory of Switzerland. In March, we sent a request to Switzerland through the diplomatic channels asking the Swiss authorities to extradite Victor Khrapunov,” the Prosecutor General’s Office said in response to Tengrinews' formal inquiry.

Pursuing one of the earlier media reports that Kazakhstani law enforcement authorities were suspected of espionage at the territory of Switzerland, Tengrinews asked the Prosecutor's office to comment on the information. The Prosecutor General’s Office denied the allegations. “We have not received any formal inquires from the Swiss Prosecutor General’s Office,” the Prosecutor General’s Office said.

24 criminal cases against Viktor Khrapunov and his wife Leila Khrapunova are being investigated in Kazakhstan. According to Kazakhstan investigators, the Khrapunovs transferred to over $48 million and 7.7 million Euro to foreign accounts in Switzerland and to offshore accounts between 2003 and 2007.

Viktor Khrapunov used to hold high-ranking positions in Kazakhstan: he used to be Energy Minister, Almaty Akim (Mayor), East-Kazakhstan Oblast Akim (Governor) and Emergency Situations Minister. In April 2008 he immigrated to Switzerland.

In August 2013 all the bank accounts of the Khrapunov family in Credit Suisse и Schroder & Co Bank AG were frozen by the Swiss authorities "until the time the origins of the funds are defined. Bank, financial and other documents were seized for review and legal assessment,” the Swiss police reported.

Writing by Gyuzel Kamalova, editing by Tatyana Kuzmina