The State Committee for National Security has uncovered a corruption scheme in the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Emergency Situations

The State Committee for National Security reported the uncovering of a corruption scheme operating in the State Architectural and Construction Control Department for the city of Bishkek (Ministry of Construction of the Kyrgyz Republic) and in the Fire Supervision Service Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations for the city of Bishkek and Chui Region.

According to the SCNS, the UGAEC inspector for Bishkek and the senior inspector of the FSS, acting in collusion, extorted $2,000 and 27,000 KGS from a citizen for signing the commissioning certificate for a sewing workshop. The money was to be transferred in cash and via the Mbank mobile app.

The investigation established that the officials deliberately delayed the document approval process by creating artificial obstacles. On 5 November, State Committee employees detained both suspects red-handed while receiving the bribe.

A criminal case has been opened on the grounds of a crime under paragraph 1 of part 2 of Article 343 of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic - ‘Extortion of a bribe’. Both detainees have been placed in the GKNB detention centre, an investigation is underway and the involvement of other persons in the scheme is being established.