Tengrinews.kz – A verdict was passed in Almaty on defendants in a high-profile criminal case related to mass riots in January 2022.
Tengrinews.kz – A verdict was passed in Almaty on defendants in a high-profile criminal case related to mass riots in January 2022.
On January 27, the specialized inter-district criminal court of Almaty completed its consideration of the criminal case against the leaders of the criminal group Arman Dzhumageldiev known as "Wild Arman," and members of his armed group, as well as the former head of the fifth department of the National Security Committee Ruslan Iskakov and the former deputy of the Almaty maslikhat Kairat Kudaibergen.
The verdict was announced by Judge Askhat Ashirbekov, who heard the case. It should be noted that the trial was held behind closed doors. Media representatives were allowed to watch the announcement of the verdict online.
The court sentenced Arman Dzhumageldiev to 20 years in prison.
The former deputy Kairat Kudaibergen received 8 years in prison.
The court sentenced the former head of the fifth department of the National Security Committee, Ruslan Iskakov, to 15 years and six months of imprisonment with a lifelong ban on holding positions in the civil service.
The court found Iskakov guilty of abuse of power and the creation of an organized criminal group.
The court found that in 2016, Iskakov, being the deputy head of the fifth department of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan, having promised patronage from the national security agencies in his person, persuaded Dzhumageldiev to cooperate.
It should be noted that the sentence has not entered into legal force.
How “Wild Arman” began cooperating with Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee
According to the court, in 2016, Ruslan Iskakov, then deputy head of the NSC’s 5th Department, persuaded Dzhumageldiev to collaborate, offering protection from national security authorities.
With NSC support, Dzhumageldiev began expanding his criminal influence in Kazakhstan and beyond, forming an organized crime group.