A court in Astana has sentenced the former chairman of Kazakhstan’s Customs Committee to 10 years in a maximum security prison.
Serik Baimaghanbetov was found guilty on January 8 of accepting a bribe.
The court ruled that all Baimaghanbetov's property will be confiscated.
Baimaghanbetov, 54, was arrested last February, immediately after stepping down as chairman of the Customs Committee.
He was charged with accepting an $80,000 payment for securing a job for someone in the customs service.
Baimaghanbetov went on trial in September. He denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.
Before his appointment as the Customs Committee chairman in 2011, Baimaghanbetov was Kazakhstan’s interior minister.
Serik Baimaghanbetov was found guilty on January 8 of accepting a bribe.
The court ruled that all Baimaghanbetov's property will be confiscated.
Baimaghanbetov, 54, was arrested last February, immediately after stepping down as chairman of the Customs Committee.
He was charged with accepting an $80,000 payment for securing a job for someone in the customs service.
Baimaghanbetov went on trial in September. He denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.
Before his appointment as the Customs Committee chairman in 2011, Baimaghanbetov was Kazakhstan’s interior minister.
