Scandal in Which Everyone Is Stained with Dirt

With the arrival of spring, the younger brother of the former president, Akmat Bakiyev, secretly left the country.

During Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s rule, he was considered the shadow governor of Jalal-Abad region and could kick open any door in the country. After the April 2010 events and the president’s flight, criminal cases were opened against his relatives, followed by trials. In August last year, Bakiyev Jr. was found guilty and sentenced to 7 years. In January this year, he was transferred from a correctional colony to a settlement colony in Bishkek.

This sequence of events clearly pointed to an impending escape, which eventually happened. Two criminal cases have already been opened in connection: one for the escape itself, the other against State Penitentiary Service employees suspected of negligence.

Naturally, opponents of the current prime minister immediately tried to use the situation, accusing Omurbek Babanov of personally flying Akmat Bakiyev out of the country on a special flight to Qatar. They even voiced a logically consistent motive — that Babanov insisted on keeping Bayzakov as head of the SPS despite numerous parliamentary demands. Online details emerged about how carefully the escape was prepared, how many people (including doctors) were involved, etc.

“Friends” of the prime minister explained simply: Babanov allegedly still maintains ties with the Bakiyevs and receives instructions from Maxim — forced to do so because he was deeply involved with the ex-president’s son in the past and fears exposure. They stressed that Akmat Bakiyev’s long release process was paid for separately at each stage — investigation, trial, change to settlement colony, and final departure — totaling several million dollars gradually paid to officials for assistance.

Official and other statements on the matter were contradictory.

Ex-head of SPS Ernst Isaev:

The Bakiyev family still controls the prosecutor’s office and penitentiary service! He claims five Criminal Code norms were violated during the transfer from colony No. 47 to settlement colony No. 35. Relatives allegedly brought $40,000 to colony No. 47 administration on the transfer day.

SPS press secretary Alexander Niksdorf:

The transfer of Akmat Bakiyev to the settlement colony was legal! Documents were prepared in accordance with the Penal Enforcement Code. Even life prisoners can be transferred to settlement colonies. Bakiyev was entitled to transfer two months earlier. Doctors recommended hospital treatment because daily ambulance calls were impossible.

MP from Ata Meken faction Turatbek Madylbekov:

Akmat Bakiyev’s escape was carefully planned a year ago! He questions why Adina Turdubaeva got 16 years for fraud while Bakiyev got only 7 under the same article. High-ranking officials are definitely involved; names will be named when evidence is ready.

Head of the parliamentary Defense and Security Committee Tokon Mamytov:

Akmat Bakiyev should not have fallen under amnesty! He was convicted of raiding property seizure. Until damages are compensated, amnesty is illegal. No one controlled his detention in the settlement colony. The SPS–MIA–special prosecutor’s office triangle is all interconnected.

Deputy Interior Minister Melis Turganbaev:

We will now work to eliminate the brother of the former president of Kyrgyzstan, Akmat Bakiyev! He noted that during the first arrest Bakiyev was armed, offered bribes up to 3 million soms, and should have been eliminated then.

Deputy Prosecutor General Ulan Khaldarov:

It cannot be ruled out that Akmat Bakiyev is still in Kyrgyzstan!

Officially

Precautionary measure changed in absentia. Pervomaysky District Court of Bishkek granted the motion to detain Akmat Bakiyev in custody. On March 3 he left the private clinic where he was receiving inpatient treatment and disappeared in an unknown direction.

    Jury GRUZDOV

Link to the article: //msn.kg/en/news/37234/