DUSHANBE, July 17, 2008, Asia-Plus – Consideration by the appeals court of the Supreme Court of an appeal lodged against the Supreme Court’s verdict against Marouf Orifov, general director of company M&P, is being delayed through fault of Orifov’s defense lawyers.
The Supreme court head Nusratullo Abdulloyev remarked this yesterday, while telling a press conference in Dushanbe. According to him, the lawyers have alleged different reasons for not attending the hearing to consider the appeal.
The Supreme Court on April 8 ruled that Marouf Orifov, general director of company M&P, the owner of Orima Supermarkets Network, be given a jail term of eight years and six months and that he should serve it in a high-security penal colony. The sentence also included confiscation of personal property. The sentence followed his conviction on charges of tax evasion (Article 320, Part 2) and bribe giving (Article 292, Part 2, Point B).
We will recall during the inspection of shops in the capital, conducted in July 2007 jointly by commission of the State Committee for National Security and Tajikstandart (Tajik agency for standardization, metrology, certification and trade inspection) at the warehouses of company M&P, 24 types of confectionery with expired dates were found out. The weight of the low quality products was 1,547 kilograms for a total amount of 46,000 somonis (more than $13,000). M. Orifov was arrested on August 7 2007 during the handing of bribery for a total amount of $10,000.
