Almaty court sentences ex-police driver to 3.5 years over fatal Al-Farabi crash

September 28, 2026 at 05:17 PM2 min

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A court in Almaty sentenced Aset Zhaksylykov, former driver of ex-deputy police chief Yerzhan Uzabayev, to 3 years 6 months in a minimum-security facility for inaction that led to a fatal crash on Al-Farabi Avenue. The court also stripped him of his police sergeant rank. The March 21 accident killed three people when businessman Alexander Pak, driving drunk, collided with a Mercedes.

Key Facts

Aset Zhaksylykov was sentenced to 3 years 6 months in a minimum-security facility and stripped of his police sergeant rank.
The crash on Al-Farabi Avenue on the night of March 21 killed three people: a 29-year-old Mercedes driver and two female passengers aged 20 and 22.
Alexander Pak, who drove the Zeekr that caused the collision, was sentenced in June to 10 years in prison and a lifetime driving ban.
Zhaksylykov was convicted under Article 370 Part 1 Clause 4 of the Criminal Code for official inaction leading to grave consequences.
After the accident, the Ministry of Internal Affairs dismissed Yerzhan Uzabayev and several other police officers following an internal investigation.

The Sentence

The court sentenced Aset Zhaksylykov to 3 years 6 months in a minimum-security facility. He was also stripped of his police sergeant rank. Zhaksylykov was convicted under Article 370 Part 1 Clause 4 of the Criminal Code for official inaction leading to grave consequences. The case was separated from the main proceedings against Alexander Pak, who was sentenced in June to 10 years in prison and a lifetime driving ban.

Events Before the Crash

On the evening of March 21, Zhaksylykov drove his superior Yerzhan Uzabayev home in a service Hyundai Palisade around 9:30 p.m. Instead of returning the vehicle to the police fleet, he went to a restaurant where Alexander Pak and his acquaintances were present. Prosecutors said Zhaksylykov knew Pak had been drinking but did not prevent him from driving. Later, both cars ended up on Al-Farabi Avenue, where Pak's Zeekr and the Palisade overtook each other in turn. After the collision, Zhaksylykov stopped, helped Pak out of the wrecked car, and then left the scene.

The Fatal Collision

The crash occurred on the night of March 21 on Al-Farabi Avenue. Alexander Pak, driving a Zeekr while intoxicated, veered into oncoming traffic and collided with a Mercedes. The accident killed three people: a 29-year-old Mercedes driver and two female passengers aged 20 and 22. After the incident, the Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted an internal investigation and dismissed Yerzhan Uzabayev and several other police officers.