Atyrau-Zharyk power supply company denies allegations about large-scale bribe giving

By Zulfiya Bainekeeva

Arman AktaiEarlier we reported that on July 1, 2014, RoK Financial Police officers detained the chairman of Kazakhstan Agency for Regulation of Natural Monopolies Murat Ospanov in Astana over suspicion in $300US bribe taking for lobbing the interests of a certain “monopoly entity”. Yesterday it became clear that “monopoly entity” is Atyrau Zharyk company (supplier of electricity).

Later the court of Astana sanctioned Murat Ospanov’s arrest. Prior to his arrest, on June 30, Arman Aktai was arrested, who, according to the instruction of the same court, was representing the interests of Atyrau Zharyk.

Arman Aktai is charged with large-scale bribe giving to the officials of the Agency for Regulation of Natural Monopolies (AREM). According to FinPol Arman Aktai handed over to the officials of AREM 100 and 200 thousand dollars for “general patronage during establishment of tariffs for electricity”.

Arman Aktai (on the left). Photo from Nurtau Golf Club and Zhailau Golf Club pageIn Internet there are a lot of information about 45-y.o. Arman Aktai: in various years he occupied top managing positions in KMG-Energo, was the Board  member of “Alatau Zharyk Company”, was the chairman of supervisory committee of “AlmatyEnergoSupply”, was the independent member of Russian “Alfa-Bank” Board of Directors.

By the way, the first instance court refused his arrest, only after the immediate protest of the General Prosecutor the appellate bench of Astana court ruled out to take him into custody.      

The management of the local electricity supply company “Atyrau Zharyk” denies any participation in that scandalous case.

- How can I comment on this,  if I know nothing about it! – said over the phone Aivar Rakhmanov, the president of Atyrau Zharyk. - We, all learnt about it from the press.

- It was claimed that your company, by giving bribes, used AREM to raise tariffs for electricity.

- We never gave anything to anybody, we know nothing about it.

- Do you know the person called Arman Aktai?

- This name means nothing to me, I don’t have him among my acquaintances.

- On whose behalf are you speaking now?

- I am speaking as the president of “Atyrau Zharyk” JSC.

The former state company, as we wrote, in 90-s was very successfully privatized by Almaty businessmen. There is no exact information about the current owners of the company, but one owner among two-three final co-owners, according to our information, has a high-ranking surname. But even this, probably, didn't help to hush up the scandal. Especially now, during the time of summer holidays.