The Chairman of the Supreme Court of Tajikistan has confirmed that the main motive behind the high-profile murder of a woman and her three minor children in the Roudaki district was robbery. According to him, the accused individuals stole 19,000 somoni from the victims' home after killing the family members.
On February 12, Rustam Mirzozoda, Chairman of the Supreme Court, commented on the case during a press conference. He shared details about the tragic murder of the mother and her three minor children, which had shocked the public.
He explained that the primary suspect, Sayfullo Azimov, had been convicted under several criminal charges, including: murder (Article 104, part 2, points a, b, c, d, e of the Criminal Code), involving a minor in committing a grave and especially grave crime (Article 165, part 4), involving a minor in committing antisocial actions (Article 166, part 3, point “v”), and robbery (Article 249, part 4, point “b”). Azimov was sentenced to life imprisonment, with the first five years to be served in a high-security prison.
“As for the other defendant, who is a minor and directly participated in the crime alongside Azimov, we are unable to fully disclose the details due to his age. According to Article 87 of the Criminal Code, he has been sentenced to 10 years in prison,” said Mirzozoda.
He also mentioned that the verdict was passed on December 9, 2025. Commenting on the case, the Chairman of the Supreme Court stated, “Unfortunately, some individuals, instead of engaging in socially useful activities, resort to murder and robbery for personal gain.”
Earlier, Halim Ibrohimov, the father of the murdered family, told Asia-Plus that he agreed with the court’s decision.
A murder without personal grudge
The highly publicized murder of a mother and her three minor children in the village of Daryobod, Roudaki district, occurred on the night of September 5-6, and became known to the public on September 8. The victims included 44-year-old Shahlo Nazarova, 17-year-old Habiba, 15-year-old Hamida, and 12-year-old Sharif.
The day after the funeral, Asia-Plus journalists visited the village and spoke with the neighbors of the murdered family. Later, Halim Ibrohimov also gave an interview to Asia-Plus, where he shared further details of the tragedy, citing relatives, neighbors, and local authorities.
According to Ibrohimov, Sayfullo Azimov was his neighbor – living just a house away. The second convicted person, a minor relative of Azimov, lived in a different village.
“Sayfullo’s family maintained relations with us. He used to address me as ‘Aka Halim.’ They would ask for firewood, milk, and chakka. His wife and mother visited our home. They knew about our life. There was no animosity between us, and when I heard about his arrest, I couldn’t believe it at first,” Ibrohimov said.
The identity of the convicted minor is known to Asia-Plus, but in accordance with the law, it cannot be disclosed. After her son’s arrest, his mother insisted on his innocence during an interview with Asia-Plus.
