Former Head of Baku Telephone Network Admits Stealing AZN 10 Million

Today the Baku Court of Grave Crimes has continued the trial of high-ranking employees of the Ministry of Communications of the country. Before the trial stand 11 people, including the head of the Ministry apparatus Vidadi Zeynalov.

According to the investigation, Zeynalov used forged documents to embezzle not less than 40 million manat with the participation of the other 10 defendants.

Today the prosecutor Farid Nagiyev has finished reading the indictment.

The lawyer Ceyhun Yusifov asked the court to interrogate Zeynalov after the other defendants.

Next the testimony was given by the former head of the Baku Telephone Communications Baitullah Huseynov, accused of embezzling 10 million manat. He said he acted by "instructions" from the ministry and is ready to compensate for the damage. According to him, the indictment inflated the costs. It states that in 2005 the expenditure amounted to 24 million manat, and in 2015 it was 87 million manat, which is almost 400% higher than it actually was.

“I'm a performer. I was instructed by the Minister to increase the costs by 20-25%. I conveyed 80% of the proceeds to the Ministry, and 20% remained in our association. Of these 20%, 6% was transferred to the telephone sites, 4% - to employees in envelopes over the official salary, and 10% remained to me,” Huseynov said.

Asked by the prosecutor, from whom he received the instructions, he replied: “I try to keep a state secret.”

Huseynov accepts the charge of embezzlement and is ready to repair the damage. The trial will continue on 30 November. -0-