Kazakh authorities say officials from the defense and finance ministries suspected of embezzlement and corruption have been sent to two-month pretrial detention.
The press service of the Astana City Court told RFE/RL on August 22 that 10 people, including six officials and four private businessmen, were detained earlier in August. The most high-profile arrest was Colonel Tolemis Zhumqaziev of the armed forces' directorate for technical and material support.
Eight of the individuals were later sent to pretrial detention, while two other suspects were placed under house arrest.
The Committee for National Security told RFE/RL that they made nine other arrests after apprehending Zhumqaziev, who is suspected of accepting a bribe of 20 million tenges ($59,000) on August 8.
In recent years, several Kazakh officials have faced prosecution on suspicion of graft, with some sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
