Elderly man who spent 33 years as a herdsman and was accused of stealing 100 horses breaks down in tears after being acquitted in court

In the Aktobe region, 60-year-old Rahat Sarsenov, who was accused of stealing 100 horses, was released by a decision of the appellate court. The court overturned the previous seven-year prison sentence and the order to recover 30 million tenge in damages.

The case against Sarsenov was initiated following an appeal by the farm owner. The first court had found him responsible for the disappearance of a hundred horses. However, upon review of the case, it was revealed that actually only a single horse had gone missing from the farm.

Rahat Sarsenov had been working as a herdsman at this farm since 1994. According to his relatives, the man fell into a severe condition after a stroke; his limbs do not move and he has difficulty speaking.

According to his sister, Oltinay Sarsenova, her brother signed certain documents without understanding what was written in them due to his illness and fear. The family only later discovered that their house had been put up as collateral.

During the court session, Sarsenov could not hide his emotions. His wife emphasized that her husband had been wrongfully accused.