Two forensic medical examiners have been detained in the city of Tursunzoda on suspicion of extortion money from a rape suspect.

According to the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption, they have received an application from “A”, a resident of Tursunzoda, who says that forensic medical examiners Nazirjon Ubaidov and Firouz Hamrayev demand US$10,000 from him for dropping criminal proceedings instituted against this nephew, who is accused of rape.  

The anticorruption agency says Ubaidov has been caught red-handed while taking US$7,000 from “A”.

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against Ubaidov and Hamrayev under the provisions of Article 247 (4) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – large-scale fraud; an investigation is under way.   

If convicted, the forensic medical examiners could face up to 12 years in prison.