Former director of the State Unitary Enterprise (SUE) Sokhtomoni Manzili Dastras (Affordable Housing Construction), Nourullo Naimov, has been jailed for fraud and embezzlement of funds.
A court in Dushanbe has sentenced Nourullo Naimov to 21 years in prison. The sentence followed his conviction on charges of fraud and embezzlement of funds.
His five accomplices, including one woman, have got jail terms ranging from 8 to 16 years, according to Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi.
Rustam Rajabov has reportedly been sentenced to 16 years in prison, Khujamqul Rasoulov has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and Sakhidod Aliyev was sentenced to 8 years in prison. Mahina Rajabova and Khurshed Khojayev have got a jail term of nine years each.
Nourullo Naimov was detained on suspicion of a large-scale fraud in late December 2018.
Tajik chief prosecutor Yusuf Rahmon told reporters in Dushanbe on January 29, 2019 that four senior representatives of the SUE Sokhtomoni Manzili Dastras have been detained on suspicion of fraud. “500,000 somoni were recovered from one of defendants and four vehicles were confiscated from another one,” Rahmon noted.
In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, the Accounts Chamber head Qarakhon Chillazoda revealed on January 30 this year that nearly 42 million somoni have been misappropriated during the implementation of the Affordable Housing Project.
“An inspection conducted by auditors of the Accounts Chamber at the State Unitary Enterprise (SUE) Sokhtomoni Manzili Dastras (Affordable Housing Construction) revealed 41.947 million somoni worth of damage,” he said, noting some 59 percent of the damage has been reimbursed.
“The Accounts Chamber has submitted all materials to the Prosecutor-General’s Office and I hope that the damage will be fully reimbursed this year,” Chillazoda added.
Recall, a residential complex called “Affordable Dwelling” was commissioned in the Tajik capital on December 27. The complex consists of one 20-story, seven 16-story and two 18-story apartment buildings.
Ten construction companies, namely Nouri Shams, Iqlimi Sof, Saimo, Farzin-7, Agrotekhstroy, Hoji Yoqub and some others, participated in construction of this residential complex.
The Affordable Housing project was launched in Dushanbe in 2013 and was intended to begin settling needy people into new homes by September 2015. Construction work was serially delayed, however, creating much discontent among the homebuyers that had already put down deposits.
Dushanbe Mayor Rustam Emomali in April 2018 signed a decree on the establishment of the Supervisory Board at the State Unitary Enterprise (SUE) Sokhtomoni Manzili Dastras (Affordable Housing Construction).
The Supervisory Board has controlled protection of consumers’ rights and timely completion of construction projects in Dushanbe. It has been authorized to control the targeted use of funds allocated for the Affordable Housing Project and coordinate activities of all legal entities involved in implementation of this project.
