Financial Police Charges – Committee Denies

Press Release of Anti-Corruption Service of Almaty

The Anti-Corruption Service of Almaty continued investigation of criminal cases towards facts of embezzlement of public funds on a large scale with participation of officials of Committee of Informatization and Communication, Joint-Stock Company “Kazakhtelecom” and also, LLP “International News Agency” “KazTAG”.

So, investigation designated embezzlement of over KZT160000000. They were allocated for information promotion of the state policy in 2010-2015.

The Former Head Bersibaev and Deputy Chairman Arpabaev ofCommittee of Informatization and Communication, they were detained on suspicion of embezzlement on March 25, 2016. These persons crudely violated legislative requirements of public procurements intentionally create conditions, in order to conclude an agreement through single source only with agency “KazTAG”.

So, other competitors who should implement public tendering, they were kept out. Except for it, promotion of the state policy should be implemented free of charge in open and accessible regime for population. But, materials which were paid by state; they were posted on the website of news agency in close regime and demanded additional payment from Internet-users.

The public funds were embezzled and transferred from payment account of news agency “KazTAG” to the affiliated public association “National Press Club” under fictitious causes. Officials of JSC “Kazakhtelecom” embezzled KZT260000000 where 51% of them were owned to state. These funds were allocated for publication of information and promotional materials in printed matters; an agreement was concluded by above-mentioned public association “National Press Club”.

The investigation designated, that JSC “Kazakhtelecom” paid services at an inflated price, in particularly, twofold which was embezzled and assigned. On March 25, 2016 General Director of Strategic Management of Joint-Stock Company B. Makhanbetazhiev was detained. He was suspected of embezzlement of public funds.

As previously reported S. Matayev has been under house arrest. Except for it, Seitkazy Matayev was suspected of evasion of the payment of taxes of Public Association “National Press Club” in the amount of KZT326,9 millions (in particularly, corporate income tax and personal income tax is KZT242,8 millions and fine is KZT84,1 millions).

There was a debt in the amount of KZT1,4 milliards from entrepreneurial activity (rent of offices). It was connected with non-payment of taxes from realized profit. The investigation is conducted of all above mentioned episodes. The publicity shall know about its outputs, in accordance with the procedure established by law.

The Committee for Support of Seitkazy Matayev denies

National Bureau of Anti-Corruption Service (Almaty) continues to excite the society gruesome stories about financial crimes of Chairman of Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan, Head of National Press Club Seitkazy Matayev jointly with Committee of Informatization and Communication, JSC “Kazakhtelecom” and News Agency “KazTAG”. According to information of press release, dated 25 March, 2016 there was embezzlement of KZT160000000, 260000000; Seitkazy Matayev did not pay taxes in the amount of KZT327000000 under profit of KZT1,5 milliards. What is expected reaction of the society on this information? There was predictable reaction on it. KZT160000000 were embezzled in 2010-2015 (first of all, there were KZT500000000). For it, on March 25, 2016 Ex Head of Committee of Informatization and Communication Bolat Bersibaev and Deputy Chairman of Committee Bek Arpabaev; they supposedly crudely violated law, in order to keep out all contenders for public tendering, except for KazTAG. Dozens of media outlets implemented public tendering of information promotion of the state policy. In 2010, KazTAG received KZT11000000 other media outlets received KZT2,5 milliards; in 2014 KazTAG won KZT83000000, dozens of media outlets received KZT9,5 milliards and this from year to year. The Committee of Informatization and Communication was headed by Bolat Bersibaev in 2010-2012; Bek Arpabaev worked there in 2014-2015. This committee was owned to the other ministry with other structure and its managers. KazTAG should disseminate publications made free of charge due to public tendering, it sold them. There was disputable conclusion of prosecutors, that KazTAG demanded payment for promotion of the state policy; lawyers should grieved it with reference to laws and figures. The Financial Police (Anti-Corruption Committee) provided following information: KazTAG received money from public tendering and transferred them to National Press Club fictitiously. Officers of financial police (anti-corruption committee) did not understand, that creation of news agency depended on financial investments. National Press Club advanced money for KazTAG and some news agencies.

KazTAG became popular source of various information, it had funds not only public tendering on its account. It is not clear who embezzled KZT260000000 JSC “Kazakhtelecom” or National Press Club.“Kazakhtelecom” overrated cost of services in twofold, S. Matayev placed orders with media by low price. Kazakhstan National Press created news agencies in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran. This type of activity which introduced in the statute of press club: “Promotion to constructive dialogue between media, institutions of state power, economic entities, public associations; cultivation of objective image in state and foreign media of the Republic of Kazakhstan,summary and analysis of the world experience in in implementation of media activity, assistance in formation of nationwide infrastructure of media, its involvement in international information sphere. State agencies should implement this activity on good terms. S. Matayev has created universal information field of Central Asian states without state funds. As a result of it, S. Matayev had been under house arrest and he had been prosecuted.

Finally, corporate tax returns for 2011-2014 were timely provided for tax office of Medeu district (Almaty). Shall corporate tax return for 2015 be provided till 31 March, 2016?

Tamara Kaleyeva

Chairman of Committee for Support of Seitkazy Matayev

President of International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech “Adil Soz”