KHUJAND, August 8, 2016, Asia-Plus -- Chairman of a court in Sughd’s Bobojonghafourov district has been caught red-handed while attempting to give bribe to an anticorruption officer.

An official source at the anticorruption agency’s office in Sughd province says the Bobojonghafourov district court chairman Khurshed Sanginzoda has demanded 2,000 U.S. dollars from local resident A.A. for mitigating sentence passed on him.

A.A. has applied to the anticorruption agency’s office in Sughd and Sanginzoda has reportedly offered a bribe of US$50,000 to the anticorruption officer in order to stifle inquiries.  He was reportedly caught red-handed on August 4 while attempting to give bribe to the anticorruption officer.

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against Khurshed Sanginzoda under the provisions of two articles of Tajikistan’s Penal Code: Article 319 (3) – bribe taking and Article 320 (2) – bribe giving; an investigation is under way.

According to the statistical data from the anticorruption agency’s office in Sughd, 15 corruption-related crimes have been reported in the province over the first six months of this year.