Why ex-chief accountant of “Atyrau-Akparat“media holding committed suicide (+update)

By Saule Tasboulatova

The building of Atyrau Akparat LLPAitzhan Uteshev, the former chief accountant of “Atyrau-Akparat” public state enterprise,  committed suicide on January 27.

According to information provided by the employees of this media holding, Aitzhan Uteshev was accused of transferring a large amount of money (according to some sources - 10 mln tenge) to a private company (LLP) with the same name and paid it in the form of salary to employees.

Probably, it was at the beginning of last year, during the period when the state enterprise “Atyrau-Akparat” was undergoing reorganization and changing its status to a private company.

– We don’t know whether he did it by mistake or not. But we all think that he didn’t appropriate the money, - say the employees of “Atyrau-Akparat”. –Our management approached the financial police with a relevant statement and Uteshev himself also sent a statement to financial police, writing that he doesn’t admit the fault.

The management of Atyrau-Akparat LLP was very reserved in their comments. However, they said that this incident has no connection to Bergey Ryskaliyev's criminal case about organized criminal group.

– Uteshev resigned on October 9, 2013 at his own request. He submitted his resignation notice twice: first in July and then in August, but we signed it only in October.

Meanwhile, the financial police stated that they received the statement concerning Uteshev from the director of Atyrau-Akparat LLP.

– A few days ago we submitted that statement to the Department of Internal Affairs for adding it as an evidence to the criminal case initiated earlier,- said the financial police employee.

Aitzhan Uteshev was born in 1967. He has three children. Media holding employees say that he left a suicide note where he wrote that he got tired and disappointed and he didn't appropriate the money.

The press service of Atyrau Oblast regional court reports: the information distributed by some of mass media that A. Uteshov was a witness of the criminal case against the former officials of Atyrau Oblast is not true.

“Ex-chief accountant of “Atyrau-Akparat” media holding A. Uteshov, who committed suicide, has not been entered as a witness in the above-mentioned case by the parties of the criminal trial. According to another information, in relation to A. Uteshov the financial police is conducting preliminary investigation on another criminal case in a separate procedure”, - reads the press release.