Due to the unknown whereabouts of Islom Anvarzoda, former deputy chief prosecutor in Dushanbe’s Firdavsi district, and the alleged culprit in a traffic accident in which one of Tajikistan's most popular singers, Bahrom Ghafouri, was killed, the Prosecutor-General’s Office has suspended investigation into this case.
Relatives of Islom Anvarzoda, however, say his whereabouts are known – he went to Russia for treatment.
Commenting on this case, Tajik lawyer Shokirjon Hakimov say that in accordance with the country’s Penal Code, an investigator or a prosecutor has the right temporarily postpone the consideration of the case on the merits, or suspend it for health reasons.
“In the case of Islom Anvarzoda, an investigator or a prosecutor should have given written consent to his to his departure abroad due to his state of health,” the lawyer noted.
But at the same time, relatives must notify the investigation and provide supporting documents where exactly he is located, Hakimov added.
Recall, Interior Ministry said that Bahrom Ghafouri and another person were passengers in a Land Cruiser car that collided with a heavy truck KamAZ in Dushanbe on August 7, 2020, at around 4 am.
Bahrom Ghafouri died on the spot, while the car’s driver Islom Anvarzoda, 29, deputy chief prosecutor in Dushanbe’s Firdavsi district, and another passenger Bahodour Zaripov, 34, resident of the Kangurt village in the Temourmalik district of the Khatlon province, were reportedly rushed to a hospital.
According to the Interior Ministry’s website, medical examination has shown that they were in a state of drunkenness.
Criminal proceedings were instituted against Islom Anvarzoda, the alleged culprit in the accident, under the provisions of Article 212 (4) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – violations of the road traffic rules and ad the use of vehicles.
Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, reported on March 2 that the Prosecutor-General’s Office has suspended investigation into the case due to the unknown whereabouts of Islom Anvarzoda.
