Kazakhstan, Astana. February 17/ Trend T. Nurmagambetov
Kazakh "BTA Bank" is satisfied with the yesterday's decision delivered by the High Court of England to sentence the bank's former chairman of BTA Bank Board of Directors Mukhtar Ablyazov to 22 month-imprisonment, the press-service of the bank reported on Friday.
"We welcome this important step forward in the process of returning assets in a lawsuit against Ablyazov. This decision should serve as a signal to Ablyazov's crime partners that the force of law will be fully used to ensure that court orders are being complied", the first Deputy Chairman of the Board Nicholay Varenko said in the report.
The decision on custody is aimed at forcing Ablyazov to comply with court orders about full disclosure of all his assets, the determination of any actions in regard to these assets and the return of all assets that have already been implemented by the defendant in violation of the court order.
"The fact that Ablyazov violated the judge's instructions of the presence in a court today, will not prevent a bank in the implementation of actions to return assets for the benefit of creditors and shareholders. On the contrary, such behavior will help the bank to complete the process earlier than expected", he added.
The decision on imprisonment for a period of 22 months reflects the opinion of the judges about Ablyazov's very serious violations, as well as false testimonies and documents, by which the bank hid assets and transactions, Varenko said.