Prosecutor’s Investigator Caught Accepting $20,000 Bribe in Tashkent
A recent scandal has rocked the Almazar District Prosecutor’s Office in Uzbekistan, as an investigator has been apprehended for taking a $20,000 bribe. The investigator had promised not to impose pre-trial detention on a suspect involved in a criminal case, but was caught red-handed during a sting operation.
According to reports from UzA, the incident involved an LLC engaged in flower cultivation in Tashkent. The company’s lawyer, who had previously worked in the prosecution system and had a criminal record, demanded $30,000 in exchange for ensuring that a pre-trial detention measure would not be applied to a suspect in a case under investigation by the Almazar District Prosecutor’s Office. The case involves violations under Articles 184 (Tax Evasion) and 189 (Violation of Trade or Service Rules) of the Criminal Code.
During the sting operation, the lawyer was apprehended in Tashkent while accepting $20,000 of the agreed amount. The operation continued, leading to the arrest of the investigator from the Almazar District Prosecutor’s Office while receiving the bribe in the lawyer’s vehicle. Evidence of the bribe was documented in accordance with procedural regulations.
Criminal charges have been initiated against the investigator and the lawyer under specific articles of the Criminal Code related to bribery. This incident is part of a larger trend of corruption within law enforcement agencies in Uzbekistan.
In a separate case, a senior assistant prosecutor from Chortoq District in Namangan region was also caught accepting a bribe in a sting operation. He allegedly demanded money to overlook the preparation of falsified documents by a physician from the district’s central polyclinic. This case involves fraud charges, and investigations are ongoing.
These incidents highlight the urgent need for anti-corruption measures and reforms within the justice system in Uzbekistan. The recent arrests of high-ranking officials within law enforcement agencies demonstrate the government’s commitment to rooting out corruption and ensuring accountability.
