The body of the Deputy Chairman of “Orionbank,” Shukhrat Ismatulloev, has been found in Penjikent. This was reported by the Attorney General of Tajikistan. On August 15, Attorney General of Tajikistan Yusuf Rahmon informed journalists at a press conference that Ismatulloev’s body was discovered two days prior in the city of Penjikent. After two months, […]
The body of the Deputy Chairman of “Orionbank,” Shukhrat Ismatulloev, has been found in Penjikent. This was reported by the Attorney General of Tajikistan.
On August 15, Attorney General of Tajikistan Yusuf Rahmon informed journalists at a press conference that Ismatulloev’s body was discovered two days prior in the city of Penjikent.
After two months, the body was unrecognizable, so it could only be identified after a dental examination.
Yusuf Rahmon also reported that 16 people are involved in the kidnapping and murder of the banker, 13 of whom have already been detained, while three are still wanted.
The main suspects in the murder of Shukhrat Ismatulloev were former law enforcement officers. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Ramazon Rahimzoda, also confirmed at a ministry press conference that some police officers who were expelled from the force actively participated in this crime.
On the evening of June 23, unknown individuals kidnapped Shukhrat Ismatulloev, the First Deputy Chairman of “Orionbank,” Hasan Asadullozoda, the brother-in-law of Emomali Rahmon. According to official data, he was taken towards the Ayni district of the Sughd region.
Initially, Tajik law enforcement detained four former security personnel on suspicion of kidnapping the banker. It was also reported that other participants in the crime have been declared wanted.
On June 30, at Chisinau International Airport, Rustam Ashurov was denied entry into Moldova while crossing the state border. He seized a firearm from the deputy head of the Moldovan border service at the airport, shot him and another security officer, and then barricaded himself in the airport building.
During the storming by special forces, he sustained at least ten gunshot wounds and later died in the hospital.
Later, a video circulated on social media showing Rustam Ashurov calling his mother. In the video, Rustam Ashurov states that he killed two airport security officers and directs the camera towards a deceased person lying on the floor.
In the video, Ashurov admits that they killed Shukhrat Ismatulloev. He also mentioned that a person named “Dilshod SB” was involved in the murder. According to Ashurov, he did not personally kill the banker; he only disposed of the body in the river.
The law enforcement agencies have still not located the former police officer Dilshod Saidmurodov, known as “Dilshod SB.” According to the investigation, he left the country through Dushanbe airport after committing the crime.