Bishkek court reviewing case of former Kyrgyz Parliament Speaker Keldibekov
BISHKEK. Jan 11 (Interfax) - On Monday, the Bishkek City Court began to review the case of former Kyrgyz Parliament Speaker Akhmatbek Keldibekov found guilty of abuse of office, a representative of the court press service told Interfax.
"Keldibekov's lawyers have filed an appeal against the judgment of the first-instance court, the Pervomaisky Court, which found him guilty on one count - the illegal opening of the parliament's mission to the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in Moscow, and compelled him to pay a fine of three million soms [approximately $39,000]," the press service said.
In addition, the Bishkek City Court has received an appeal from the Kyrgyz Prosecutor General's Office which deems the judgment passed by the Pervomaisky District Court on Keldibekov in November 2015 to be too lenient.
The Prosecutor General's Office demanded that Keldibekov be found guilty of abusing his position as head of the State Tax Service and Kyrgyz Parliament Speaker and assessed the total damage from his activity at more than 40 million soms.
Previously, prosecutors demanded that he face ten years in a high-security penitentiary and property confiscation.
The former speaker was detained in Bishkek on November 20, 2013, on counts of corruption and abuse of office in his capacity as head of the Special Fund (2002-2005), the Tax Inspectorate (2008-2010) and as Parliament Speaker (2010-2011). The Pervomaisky District Court stopped the inquiry into the Special Fund abuse due to the end of the prescription period.
The investigation and court proceeding into the Keldibekov case lasted for almost two years. The trial began in July 2014 and he was released in August to receive medical treatment abroad. Keldibekov returned to the country upon completion of his treatment in February 2015, and the trial resumed.
