Teacher from Khujand Medical College arrested on bribery charges

KHUJAND, August 10, 2011, Asia-Plus - A teacher from the Khujand medical college was arrested on a bribery charge. T.B., head of department of pharmacy and dentistry of the college, was arrested for accepting a $650 bribe.

According to the State Finance Control and Counter-Corruption Agency’s Office for Sughd area, the arrested teacher demanded an $800 bribe from a college entrant’s father and was arrested when accepting part of the given amount. A criminal case was launched yesterday, August 9, under article 319 part 1 (accepting bribe personally or through mediator) of the Criminal Code of Tajikistan. The investigation is under way.

Meanwhile, in the past month five teachers from higher education institutions were arrested on bribery charges in northern part of the country. However, only one criminal case was launched under article 319 (bribery) of the Criminal Code of Tajikistan. It was launched against deputy dean of the mining and smelting institute of Tajikistan located in the city of Chkalovsk.

Other bribe takers faced criminal charges under article 247 (fraud) and article 324 (bribery through extortion).

“Criminal charges under article 319 can be brought against officials only – rectors, deans, deputy deans of higher education institutions,” first deputy head of the Counter Corruption Agency Office for Sughd area Kutbiddin Safarov told the AP.