KHUJAND, September 15, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- A lawyer has been detained in the Sughd province on suspicion of having taken a bribe.

According to the Sughd police directorate, Zohit Tourayev, a member of the Barristers’ Association in Sughd, was detained in the Zafarobod district on September 14 on suspicion of having taken bribe from local resident Sayora Barotova.

“The lawyer was caught red-handed when he was taking US$500 from Ms. Sayora Barotova for drawing up a house-sale contract,” the source said.

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against Tourayev under the provisions of two articles of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – Article 32, Part 3 (preparation fro crime and crime attempt) and Article 247, Part 3 (fraud).