DUSHANBE, January 21, 2013, Asia-Plus – The Supreme Court of Tajikistan sentenced Dilovarsho Qosimov, who was found guilty of killing Kholmumin Safarov, the 57-year-old husband of President Emomali Rahmon”s eldest sister, to 26 years in prison on January 18. The sentence followed his conviction on charges of murder, illegal possession of weapons and polygamy.
The court”s ruling was nearly identical to the prosecution”s earlier demand for a 27-year prison term.
The Hakimov brothers — Mahmadtohir and Mahmadfozil — who were on trial together with Qosimov got jail terms of 8 and 3 years respectively for not reporting a crime and illegally possessing weapons.
The court’s ruling was identical to the prosecution”s earlier demand. We will recall that the prosecutor demanded for 8-year and 3-year sentences for Mahmadtohir Hakimov and Mahmadfozil Hakimov respectively.
The trial that was held behind closed doors at the pretrial detention facility of the Ministry of Justice began on December 24 and Dilovarsho Qosimov was insisting that he had nothing to do with the murder.
Kholmumin Safarov was found dead after being shot by unknown assailants on June 13, 2012. Police say Safarov was shot in the head, chest, and stomach. The shooting is reported to have occurred as he was returning to his home after evening prayers at a nearby mosque.
A native of Khatlon’s Vose district, Safarov, the brother-in-law of President Emomali Rahmon, had been serving as chief of the Tajik government”s forest and hunting agency. Some media sources say that while many of the president”s relatives control major Tajik companies and banks, Safarov wasn”t known to be involved in big business.
Tajik law enforcement officials noted that Dilovarsho Qosimov, the suspect in the murder of Kholmumin Safarov was detained in Dushanbe on July 13. Tajik Interior Affairs Ministry officials said at a press conference that the suspect was detained following a lengthy undercover operation.
On November 26, the investigation into the murder of Kholmumin Safarov was classified as “top secret.”
