DUSHANBE, April 14, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- The trial of Fayzullo Bobokhonov, the son of former Tajik Prosecutor-General, is continuing in the Supreme Court.

We will recall that the trial began on April 12, but it was adjourned until April 24 as the second defendant – former senior investigator with the Hisor prosecutor’s office Shohrukh Nouraliyev – was not brought to the court from the pretrial detention facility of the State Committee for national Security (SCNS).

On April 14, proceedings started with the reading of the indictment, which charges Fayzullo Bobokhonov with large-scale extortion, abuse of office, fraud, preparation for crime and criminal attempt.  Shohrukh Nouraliyev is charged with large-scale bribery.

The prosecutor said that in 2004, when Fayzullo Bobokhonov was deputy prosecutor of Dushanbe’s Shohmansour district, he received US$48,000 from entrepreneur Rasoulszoda for dropping criminal case against him.

According to the indictment, the same entrepreneur provided Bobokhonov with US$18,800 worth of 600 square meters of marble for housing in 2005, but Bobokhonov paid nothing to him.  In 2006, Bobokhonov took plastic windows and doors from Rasoulzoda and he again paid nothing to the entrepreneur.

Besides, Bobokhonov made Dushanbe resident Tolibov reregister his house worth US$130,000 to his representative.

When he was chief prosecutor of Hisor district, Bobokhonov illegally got 4.8 hectares for garden.  Besides, he took 2 tons of wheat from local resident without paying for it and sent it to his uncle in Khatlon province.  Abusing his office, he also got two Hajj seats allocated to Hisor district for himself and his mother.  For this, he prepared forged documents that they are allegedly residents of this district.

According to the indictment, the victims were forced to do so because they feared to displease the influential prosecutor.

The defendants refused to admit charges brought against them.  The next hearing is scheduled for April 18.

Fayzullo Bobokhonov was arrested in July 2010 on corruption charges and his property, including two houses and two vehicles, was confiscated.  He was charged with being an accomplice in a bribe-taking incident involving $20,000 while serving as chief prosecutor of Hisor district.  Fayzullo Bobokhonov was dismissed from that position in early 2010, shortly after his father Bobojon Bobokhonov retired as prosecutor-general after serving for 10 years.