Serik Akhmetov placed under house arrest

    Former Prime Minister and Defense Minister, Serik Akhmetov has been placed under house arrest after being charged on corruption, law enforcement announced on November 19.
    The Anti-Corruption Agency has said it engaged in a number of corruption probes against senior officials in the Karaganda Oblast and city of Karaganda. The investigations included Baurzhan Abdishev, Meyram Smagulov, Gumar Rakhimzhanov, and others.
    Serik Akhmetov was born in 1958 and most recently served as minister of defense, from April 2014 until October.
    From November 2009 to January 2012, he akim of the Karaganda oblast, and from January to September 2012 he served as first deputy prime minister. From September 24 2012 to April 2014 he was prime minister of Kazakhstan.
    Former Akim of the Karaganda Oblast Baurzhan Abdishev was previously taken into custody on September 23, 2014 on charges of abuse of power.
    Former Akim of Karaganda city, Meyram Smaguov was also arrested in October 2014 on charges of abuse of office power, according to Akipress.