Court sanctions arrest of Kazakh deputy defense minister suspected of bribery
ASTANA. Feb 12 (Interfax) - The Akmola Garrison Military Court sanctioned the arrest of Deputy Defense Minister Bagdat Maikeyev, who is suspected of accepting a major bribe on Wednesday.
"Akmola Garrison Military Court Chairman Daulet Moldabayev sanctioned [Maikeyev's] arrest until February 20 this year," court spokesman Amangeldy Zulkainarov told Interfax.
In motivating the need to arrest Maikeyev, the prosecutor reasoned that the deputy defense minister is suspected of accepting an especially large bribe, Zulkainarov said. "This falls under Criminal Court Article 311, Part 5, which carries imprisonment of up to 10 years," he said.
Maikeyev accepted 252 million tenge and $147,000 as a bribe. The current official exchange rate is 163.9/$1.
Maikeyev, 60, has served as deputy defense minister since 2011. He earlier worked as an advisor to the interior minister and headed the Interior Ministry department for the Almaty region.
