DUSHANBE, June 7, Asia-Plus - Administration of open joint-stock company (OJSC) AgroInvestBonk has denied reports by some local media about misappropriation of 150,000 Somonis by three employees of the bank’s branch in the northern district of Mastchoh as “unfounded.”   

In its statement released today, the AgroInvestBonk administration claims that planned inspection by the bank’s headquarters in 2004 revealed a case of illegal use of the bank’s funds.  It was established that by insistence of local authorities of the Mastchoh district 150,000 Somonis had been allocated from the bank’s branch in Mastchoh without drawing up appropriate payment documents for the construction of houses for disaster-hit population in the Dashti Qozi village of Panjakent. 

The head of the bank’s branch in Mastchoh and authorities of the Mastchoh district have supposed that this amount will be repaid at the expense of the Mastchoh-based enterprises that pledged themselves to remit funds for providing aid to the disaster-affected people.  “However, they have not fulfilled their obligation,” the statement says.  

Therefore the AgroInvestBonk has applied to the Prosecutor-General’s Office asking to investigate the matter.  The Prosecutor-General’s Office has instituted criminal proceedings and an investigation is under way.