Two of three persons accused of killing the Mahmadov family in Khatlon’s Jaihoun district have been sentenced to life prison.
The Khatlon regional court sentenced Mahmadghayur Khaibulloyev and Qiyomiddin Nasriddinov to life in prison on August 4.
Nasriddinov’s wife, Adolat Shermatova was sentenced to 28 years in prison.
The court's ruling regarding Adolat Shermatova was nearly identical to the prosecution's earlier demand for a 30-year prison term for her.
Recall, a prosecutor in their trial asked the court to sentence Mahmadghayur Khaibulloyev and Qiyomiddin Nasriddinov to life in prison and Adolat Shermatova to 30 years in prison.
Meanwhile, their relatives denounced the ruling and vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court of Tajikistan.
An official source within the Khatlon regional court told Asia-Plus yesterday that “while making their last work in the court, the defendants stated that they do not consider themselves guilty of the murder and asked the court to acquit them.”
Recall, all the three defendants had previously retracted their previous statements, noting that those admissions had been obtained under torture.
The 39-year-old resident of Jaihoun district Ahliddin Mahmadov and his three children aged 8, 13 and 14 years were killed on the night of June 12, 2021.
Mahmadghayur Khaibulloyev, Qiyomiddin Nasriddinov and his wife Adolat Shermatova were arrested on suspicion of committing that crime.
Criminal proceedings against Khaibulloyev and Nasriddinov have been instituted under the provisions of four articles of Tajikistan’s Penal Code: Article 104 (4) – murder; Article 32 (3) – Article 104 (2) – attempted murder; Article 255 (2) arson; and Article 244 – theft.
As far as Adolat Shermatova is concerned, she faced charges of murder, attempted murder and arson.
According to the Interior Ministry, the tragedy happened because Mahmadghayur told his friend Qiyomiddin that his wife was cheating on him with Ahliddin Mahmadov.
The wife of the killed Mahmadov – Latofat Azizova – and one of their sons miraculously managed to survive. It was Latofat who found out the suspected killers of her family.
