JSC 'AGAT' Director From Lukashenka's Personnel Register Sentenced To Seven Years In Reinforced Regime Colony

The official was also deprived of his military rank.

Hennadz Kazakou, director of OJSC "AGAT - Control Systems," the managing company of Geoinformation Control Systems Holding, general designer of automated control systems and means of communication, was imprisoned for bribery on a large scale. The director of the company, who gave him the bribes, also received a prison sentence. Kazakou's detention and trial were not reported by agencies and state media, but it became known thanks to the verdict, published in the Bank of Court Decisions.

What Kazakou Was Tried For

Kazakov was tried by the Savetski District Court of Minsk on November 8, 2022. Before passing the verdict, Kazakou had been kept in the KGB pre-trial detention facility.

The court materials indicate that during the period of 2020-2022 Hennadz Kazakou received bribes totaling $30 thousand from the director of a private private commercial unitary enterprise, which supplied the holding with the components for the production of Russian-made communications equipment.

On several occasions the director of the private trade and production unitary enterprise transferred packages with money to the director of AGAT - Control Systems through a mutual acquaintance - Kazakou was the godfather of her daughter.

At the trial, Kazakov pleaded guilty.

Hennadz Kazakou was found guilty under part 3 of article 430 (large-scale bribery) of the Criminal Code of Belarus. He was sentenced to seven years in a reinforced regime colony and fined 700 basic units (22,400 rubles). He was also deprived of his military rank of "reserve major-general".

The director of the company who handed the bribes to Kazakou was also convicted. He was found guilty under Part 2 of Article 431 (large bribe giving) of the Criminal Code of Belarus and sentenced to two years in a reinforced regime colony and a fine of 500 basic units (16 000 rubles). He was also deprived of his military rank of "lieutenant colonel in the reserve".

Silence of Departments and State Media

Geoinformation Management Systems Holding, whose management company is AGAT - Management Systems OJSC, is one of the largest organisations of the State Military-Industrial Committee of Belarus.

At the end of April 2022, Nasha Niva reported on the possible detention of the director of AGAT - Control Systems. The staff was told that the director "broke his leg, so he does not go to work". His phone number was out of reach and he was last on messengers on April 24 that year. Kazakou's name also disappeared from the management page on the website of the management company AGAT - Control Systems Holding at the time. By the way, now the company's management data page has been removed from the company's website altogether.

On July 7, 2022 Aliaksandr Lukashenka appointed Mikalai Balihatau the director of the OJSC "AGAT - Control Systems - Managing Company of Geoinformation Control Systems Holding. Earlier he headed the Agat - Electromechanical Plant, which is part of the holding.

Government media and officials have reported nothing about where the former director of the company disappeared to. There was no mention of the verdict.

Who is Hennadz Kazakou

Hennadz Kazakou is now 59 years old. He was born in the village of Semukachy, Mahiliou district. In 1985, he graduated from the Ulyanovsk Higher Military Command School of Communication. From 1985 to 1998, he served in different positions in the 86th signal brigade. From 1998 to 2000, he was a student at the Military Academy.

In 2005, he was appointed Head of Communications of the Armed Forces - Head of Communications of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, in which position he served for 12 years.

In April 2017, by decree of Aliaksandr Lukashenka, Hennadz Kazakou was appointed director of AGAT - Control Systems, a management company of Geoinformation Control Systems Holding, and in July the same year he became the general designer of automated control systems and means of communication of the Republic of Belarus.

Kazakou was awarded with Order for Service to the Motherland, 3rd class, Medal for Irreproachable Service, 1st class, and honorary title "Honored Specialist of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus".

He was on Aliaksandr Lukashenka's personnel register.