A video appeal by 65-year-old entrepreneur Yersain Bisenov, head of STS-Cement LLP, has gone viral on the social network Threads. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

In his appeal, the businessman stated that criminal cases have been opened against him and the amount of damages claimed exceeds 1 billion tenge.

"I am not asking for special treatment. I am asking only for an honest, objective, and fair consideration. I am asking for JUSTICE!" the published appeal reads.

The entrepreneur's representative, Talgatzhan Belisarov, also commented on the situation, claiming that the reason for the claims was allegedly a minor deviation of workers beyond the site boundaries during sand extraction.

However, journalist Mikhail Kozachkov reported that he is familiar with the inspection materials of the environmental prosecutor's office and, according to him, the circumstances of the case look different.

According to published information, more than 15 years ago, STS-Cement LLP obtained the right to develop the Davydenkovskoye-1 sand deposit in the Kostanay region.

The site is located near the villages of Yenbek and Altyn Dala and belongs to the Alexandrov rural district of the Kostanay district. According to subsoil use conditions, sand extraction was to be carried out by open-pit mining.

During the inspection, employees of the environmental prosecutor's office visited the site and recorded alleged violations. According to the inspection data, sand extraction was carried out not only within the deposit but also from the bottom of the Tobol River. As a result of the work, the shoreline was allegedly significantly altered.

According to information provided by Kozachkov, the length of the destroyed bank was about 300–400 meters.

In addition, inspectors found that the width of the river in some sections increased from 17–50 meters to about 150 meters after work using dredgers.

Also, water-filled pits were found on the territory, which, according to inspectors, indicates a serious change in the terrain.

Based on the inspection results, prosecutors concluded that mineral extraction may have been carried out outside the contract territory and without the necessary permits.

According to calculations by state agencies, from 2022 to 2024, the enterprise could have received income from the sale of river sand in the amount close to 1 billion tenge.

After that, the materials were sent to the Department of Economic Investigations.

Currently, a pre-trial investigation has been registered under two articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Article 214 "Illegal Entrepreneurship" and Article 334 "Unauthorized Use of Subsoil."

The final assessment of the actions of all participants will be given by the investigation and the court. The investigation is ongoing.