In Astana, on the night of October 30, Yerzhan Babakumarov, who previously held high positions in the government, was found dead. Details of the incident became known thanks to the capital's police.
According to preliminary information, Babakumarov spent the evening in the company of acquaintances, where a conflict arose between them, leading to a fight. As a result of the injuries sustained, he passed away.
The police have already detained a suspect in his murder, who has been placed in a temporary detention facility. An investigation is underway in the case.
Yerzhan Babakumarov began his career in the 1990s in the office of the akim of Almaty, and then moved to the presidential administration, where he dealt with domestic politics and headed the information center under the first president Nursultan Nazarbayev. In 2006, he became the vice minister of culture and later worked in the office of Prime Minister Karim Massimov.
From 2019, for three months, Babakumarov was an advisor to the new president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who came to power after Nazarbayev's resignation.
From 2019 to 2022, he served as deputy akim of Almaty under Bakytzhan Sagintayev. During the mass protests in early 2022, known as Bloody January, Babakumarov actively interacted with the press, commenting on the events occurring in the city. He claimed that the attackers on the townspeople were "militants offering armed resistance."
His last position was as the director of the Central Communications Service under the president, which he took after the events of January.
In September 2022, Babakumarov left the CCS and had not worked in public service since then.
In February of this year, reports emerged that he had been arrested for driving under the influence. The court sentenced him to 15 days of arrest and a seven-year driving ban for violating traffic rules.
Yerzhan Babakumarov passed away at the age of 56.
