Trial of ex-mayors of Bishkek. Court verdict to be announced today

Trial of the ex-mayors of Bishkek Kubanychbek Kulmatov and Albek Ibraimov continues in the Leninsky District Court of Bishkek.

Kubanychbek Kulmatov made the last word in court.

After hearing the last word of all the defendants, the judge went to deliberation room to deliver a verdict.

The fourteen accused, including Kubanychbek Kulmatov and Albek Ibraimov, are charged with corruption. Only five of them are in custody. According to investigators, the ex-officials deliberately overstated the volume of construction work and materials during the construction of a school in Kalys-Ordo housing estate. Albek Ibraimov is also accused of embezzlement of the funds of Dastan TNC and corruption in providing municipal land plots for use by individuals and legal entities. None of them pleaded guilty. Kubanychbek Kulmatov called the case trumped up. The state prosecution asks to sentence Kubanychbek Kulmatov to 15 years in prison, Albek Ibraimov — to 20 years.