The Supreme Court of Tajikistan has sentenced the 65-year-old Sojida Saidmurodova, the mother of former top police officer Dilshod Saidmurodov, who is serving life in prison for kidnapping and killing Shuhrat Ismatulloyev, the Frist Deputy Head of Open Joint-Stock Company (OJSC) Orienbonk, to 13 years in prison.
The sentence followed her conviction on charges of fraud, forgery, illegally obtaining a parcel of land and obstruction of justice.
The court's ruling is nearly identical to the prosecution's earlier demand for a 14-year prison term.
A prosecutor in the trial of Sojida Saidmurodova asked the Supreme Court on June 18 to sentence Mrs. Saidmurodova to 14 years in prison.
Two official sources within the Supreme Court told Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, yesterday that her sentence was announced on June 19 and has not yet entered into legal force.
Relatives of Sojida Saidmurodova called the verdict unfounded; however, they believe that it is useless to challenge it.
According to them, two employees of the archive department and former employee of the State Unitary Enterprise (SUE) Registration of Real State were also involved in this case; all three were fined.
Recall, Radio Ozodi reported on June 18 that Sojida Saidmurodova was arrested in September and charged with financial fraud, illegally obtaining a parcel of land, the illegal construction of property, forgery, and obstruction of justice.
In March, the Supreme Court sentenced her son, who used to work at the Interior Ministry directorate dealing with organized crime, and four other men to life in prison in the high-profile case of the abduction and murder of Shuhrat Ismatulloyev, the Frist Deputy Head of OJSC Orienbonk, one of the country’s leading commercial banks, last year.
Another 10 defendants were sentenced to prison terms of between one year and eight years for their involvement in Ismatulloyev's abduction and murder.
Ismatulloyev was reportedly abducted in June last year. His body was found later in August.
