DUSHANBE, October 25, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- The Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption has instituted criminal proceedings against Mustafo Asrorov, a senior teller with the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT), is suspected of having embezzled more than 1.6 million somoni (equivalent to more than US$470,000) of state funds.  

Peaking to reporters in Dushanbe on October 24, Director of the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption Sherkhon Salimzoda said that Asrorov faces charges of embezzlement of state funds and service forgery.  

“The investigation has established that central bank’s senior teller visited the Dushanbe customs directorate twice in June this year and received totaling 1,640,687 somoni in cash form the directorate cashier’s office; Asrorov embezzled the money, submitting forged posting process receipt,” the anticorruption agency director said.  

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against Mustafo Asrorov under two articles of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – Article 245, Part 2 (embezzlement or misappropriation) and Article 323 (service forgery).