Shocking Revelations in Trial of Former Kazakh Minister Who Killed His Wife: 'Forced Her to Record Intimate Video to Prevent Abuse Complaints'

On that fateful night, Kuandyk Bishimbaev ordered the woman to undress in a restaurant, claiming "he had given her the clothes," before brutally assaulting her.

Less than a year has passed since the death of Saltanat Nukenova, wife of former Kazakh Minister of National Economy Kuandyk Bishimbaev, yet her family already fears that justice may not be fully served. The high-ranking official allegedly murdered his wife and staged the scene to erase her presence from the restaurant. The family's pain remains raw as they endure prolonged legal battles against the accused.

Saltanat’s uncle, Kairat Nukenov, admits that no verdict can replace their beloved Saltanat.

“She was a bright, joyful, and radiant member of our family. She excelled academically, graduating from school, college, and university, and was dedicated to her work. She was independent, self-sufficient, never relying on anyone or asking us for money. She achieved everything on her own and was so open-hearted,” Nukenov shared with the news agency shyndyk.kz.

Saltanat tragically passed away on November 9, 2023. That evening, she attended a concert by Dima Bilan with her husband. A dispute erupted between them, prompting their departure from the venue. They proceeded to a family-owned restaurant and locked themselves in a VIP room. Saltanat declared she was exhausted from ongoing abuse and had decided to leave her husband. This marked the beginning of a horrific ordeal—Kuandyk subjected her to prolonged humiliation, forcing her to strip since "he had bought her clothes," before violently beating the half-naked woman.

The torture lasted for several hours and only ended when Saltanat lost consciousness. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the former minister dismissed the restaurant staff and contacted his brother. He also disabled his wife's phone geolocation to prevent her family from tracking her.

He did not call emergency services immediately. The men deliberated for hours, erased all surveillance footage, and only then contacted medical help. By that time, 31-year-old Saltanat had died.

Amid public outrage, the tyrant was arrested for two months, but the family feared he would evade full punishment. Previously, the minister had managed to negotiate with the justice system—sentenced to 10 years for bribery, he served only 1.5 years before being pardoned.

The family listens to court proceedings with horror. They knew Bishimbaev abused Saltanat; she sent photos of her bruises to her brother, pleading for no interference. Bishimbaev consistently sought to cover his tracks. Once, after beating her at home, upon discovering she had sent photos to her brother, he forced Saltanat to record an intimate video.

“In April 2023, upon learning that Saltanat’s relatives had photos of her battered face and fearing they might use them to blackmail him in case of divorce, Bishimbaev demanded she film an intimate video while naked. He explained it would serve as his guarantee. Terrified and constantly afraid, Saltanat reluctantly complied and allowed the recording,” the prosecutor detailed.

Even close family members were unaware of the extent of the couple’s horrific relationship.

“We will never forgive him. Anything can be forgiven, even accidental killing. But we saw how he tortured her—what he did to our sister is beyond what most criminals or monsters could do. There will be no forgiveness for this. Such a person must never be forgiven,” Nukenov stated.

Saltanat’s relatives also question the forensic results, which showed no traces of drug intoxication in Bishimbaev’s system at the time, and only a minimal amount of alcohol. However, unrecovered video files confirmed he drank throughout the night.

Police managed to recover many deleted videos, piecing together events from the day of Saltanat’s death. The case against Kuandyk Bishimbaev has reached court. As the prosecutor reads the harrowing account of Saltanat’s abuse, the accused continues to deny the charges.

“Your Honor, I have not had the chance to tell my story during the pre-trial investigation or anywhere else. Much of what the prosecutor read is fabricated with no evidence or witnesses. I did not commit premeditated murder with extreme cruelty,” Bishimbaev stated in court.

The next hearing is scheduled for March 29, according to BES.media.

Photos: social media, video footage

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