The Vice Mayor of Bishkek, Maksatbek Sazykulov, has been detained for patronizing the owner of an illegally constructed commercial property, as reported by the State Committee for National Security (GKNB).
It was revealed through investigative measures that Maksatbek Sazykulov, while heading one of the city administrations, conspired with an affiliated individual to set up a corruption scheme aimed at providing unjustified and illegal preferences to a business entity for the purpose of unlawful enrichment.
Specifically, he instructed to allocate municipal land in the city center for the construction of a commercial property to an unscrupulous entrepreneur. The current market value of the plot exceeds $200,000. Subsequently, local authorities identified the unauthorized construction of a 300-square-meter commercial property without the necessary permits. The structure was supposed to be demolished according to regulations, but Sazykulov obstructed the process using his authority. As a result, the illegal building remained standing.
Furthermore, it was discovered that a square was landscaped for the convenience of residents and visitors shortly before at the site of the constructed property. The landscaping tender was also initiated by Maksatbek Sazykulov, leading to another corruption revelation. Over 17 million soms from the local budget were allocated for the green area, but a preliminary analysis of construction expertise revealed an overstatement of actual work by 6-7 million soms.
Separate work is being carried out regarding this matter, with verification measures and necessary expert assessments in progress. Based on the collected evidence, the GKNB detained and placed the Vice Mayor and businessman T.B.M. in pre-trial detention. Investigative measures are underway to establish all circumstances of the case and identify individuals involved in the aforementioned corruption scheme.
