QURGHON TEPPA, October 14, 2011, Asia-Plus — A trial of two pilots working for Rolkan Investments Limited began in Qurghon Teppa, the capital of Khatlon province on October 12.
Proceedings started with the reading of indictment, which charges Captain Valdimir Sadovnichiy (national of Russia) and Captain Aleksey Rudenko (national of Estonia) with violation of rules of international flights (Article 218 of Tajikistan’s Peal Code), smuggling (Article 289) and illegal border crossing (Article 335).
Prosecutor Fayzullo Kholov noted that Sadovnichiy and Rudenko were allegedly working for Rolkan Investments Limited illegally.
According to some sources, Rolkan Investments Limited, which is reportedly engaged in transporting humanitarian cargo to Afghanistan, is domiciled in the British Virgin Islands.
In March this year, two transport aircraft An-72 belonging to Rolkan Investments Limited illegally crossed the national border of Tajikistan from Afghanistan without permission of Tajik air navigation service and landed at the Qurghon Teppa airport. “They were transporting a contraband aircraft engine,” the prosecutor said.
The State Committee for National Security (SCNS)’s office in Khatlon has assessed that crossing of border illegal and instituted criminal proceedings against Captain Sadovnichiy and Captain Rudenko.
Prosecutor Fayzullo Kholov says those two AN-72s worked in Afghanistan illegally from 2008 till detention because they are not registered in any state.
