QURGHON-TEPPA, Tajikistan -- A Tajik Labor and Social Care Ministry official has been arrested by the country's anticorruption agency, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.
Odina Ghafforov, the anticorruption agency's deputy chief in the southern Khatlon Province, said that Uktam Kuldoshev forged documents through which he received 550,000 somoni (about $143,000) from the local Amonatbank, falsely claiming the money would be going to pensioners.
But Amonatbank officials told RFE/RL that Kuldoshev's documents had authentic stamps and signatures on them.
There are some 180,000 pensioners in Khatlon, to whom the government now owes 2 million somoni.
Officials of the anticorruption agency added that they will now begin an examination of Tajikistan's pension payment system.
Odina Ghafforov, the anticorruption agency's deputy chief in the southern Khatlon Province, said that Uktam Kuldoshev forged documents through which he received 550,000 somoni (about $143,000) from the local Amonatbank, falsely claiming the money would be going to pensioners.
But Amonatbank officials told RFE/RL that Kuldoshev's documents had authentic stamps and signatures on them.
There are some 180,000 pensioners in Khatlon, to whom the government now owes 2 million somoni.
Officials of the anticorruption agency added that they will now begin an examination of Tajikistan's pension payment system.