Bishimbayev apologized to the relatives of the deceased

The trial of Kuandyk Bishimbayev continued today. The ex-minister is a suspect in the case of the death of his wife Saltanat Nukenova. The meeting was broadcast on the official youtube channel Supreme Court.

The interrogation of Bishimbayev himself began in court. He apologized to the relatives of the deceased.

“It was always very difficult for me to understand her death at first. I want to apologize. I don’t expect forgiveness, but it’s my responsibility. I understand that this is an irreparable loss, and I am involved in these circumstances,” Bishimbayev began his speech.

During Bishimbayev’s speech, Saltanat Nukenova’s mother, addressing the defendant, said: “I didn’t see the face of my child, you killed my daughter for eight hours!”

The court made a comment and asked the victim’s side to give the defendant an opportunity to testify.

Bishimbayev further stated that he “did not kill intentionally. There was no point, no idea, no intent to commit such a senseless act.”

Kuandyk Bishimbayev stated at the trial that prejudice had been forming against him for five months from the moment of his arrest.

“You read that her eye leaked out, her skull was broken, there was no living space. None of this is true. There is nothing of the kind in the indictment. I am forced to defend myself,” Bishimbayev said.

Next, Bishimbayev told how he met Saltanat Nukenova. He stated that his relationship with Saltanat began to deteriorate because of a photograph of his business partner in his office. The victim’s lawyer, Zhanna Urazbakhova, asked the court to interrupt the defendant’s speech, arguing that this was not relevant to the case.

After a break in the afternoon, Kuandyk Bishimbayev continued giving evidence.

“I am accused of being jealous of past relationships. Far-fetched. I’m not saying to dishonor her. I need to explain that I did not feel any jealousy. I felt shame and resentment that I was deceived,” Bishimbayev said in court.

Earlier, a version appeared about an intimate video, which, according to representatives of the injured party, “was filmed by Bishimbayev to blackmail Saltanat.” The defendant stated that he did not film such a video, but received this video from an anonymous Telegram channel. In the video, he said, the girl “looked like Saltanat,” and he asked her a question: “Why are they sending me this? Is that you in this video or isn’t it you?”

The lawyer for the injured party asked that such statements not be allowed, since this testimony, according to her, was not relevant to the case and discredited the honor and dignity of the deceased.

Bishimbayev further listed the episodes of quarrels, noting that each time Saltanat lashed out at him, showing jealousy over everything. The defendant stated that she left him 12 times and attributed this to her mental state. Representatives of the injured party intervened, asking the court not to take such statements into account, since the defendant is not a specialist and cannot make a diagnosis. Bishimbayev retorted that since we are talking about accusations of torture against him, which could have caused her to systematically leave him, he should explain that she left because of her mental state.

“I have been charged with a horrific crime. Its consequences… the sanctions are huge. I want to tell my story, and then do whatever you want,” Bishimbayev said.

He also said that after another quarrel, Saltanat left the house again, and soon he saw her with a “big black eye.”

“I say: “Where did the black eye come from, Salta?” She says: “I was going to the toilet at night, fell and hit myself.” After that, I saw her at a friend’s birthday with a black eye. I tell her: “Salta, everyone will think that I did it,” Bishimbayev said at the trial.

On October 20, 2023, according to Bishimbayev, another quarrel occurred, during which she threw an iPhone 14 in his face, in response, he “could not restrain himself and gave her several slaps in the face.”

Also today at the court hearing, the testimony of witness Abil Nurkaidar was heard. He supervised the renovation of Bishimbayev’s apartment.

According to his testimony, Bakhytzhan Baizhanov, the second defendant, asked him to take Saltanat Nukenova’s phone from the gastrocenter to her apartment. The lawyer for the prosecution asks questions to the witness: why didn’t you immediately report Baizhanov’s request to bring Saltanat’s phone to the apartment. He replied that he did not know about what had happened, and also said that he “rarely crossed paths” with Bishimbayev.

Former Minister of National Economy Kuandyk Bishimbayev is accused of murdering with extreme cruelty and torturing his wife Saltanat Nukenova, who was found dead in the BAU restaurant in Astana. Bishimbayev himself does not admit guilt. At the first meeting, he stated that he “did not have the opportunity to tell his story either at the pre-trial investigation or anywhere.” He and his defense argue that there was no intent to kill on his part.

Along with the former official in the dock is his relative Bakhytzhan Baizhanov, who is charged with concealment and failure to report a crime. At the trial, he admitted that he asked to delete video recordings from surveillance cameras and take Saltanat Nukenova’s phone home to hide the geolocation.

The main trial in this case began on March 27 with a jury.