Archive · 2008 · From the print edition of Saturday 22 November 2008, Vol. 16, No. 4,914
CourtsNew York jury acquits Orozbekov
A federal jury clears the former Prime Minister of money-laundering and wire-fraud charges over the 2007 concession deals; the ISEZ says its own treason case stands.
TALAS — A federal jury in New York yesterday acquitted Bakyt Orozbekov, the only Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Irad, of conspiracy to launder money and of wire fraud. Prosecutors had alleged that payments connected with the concession deals of early 2007 passed through correspondent accounts in New York. After four days of deliberation the jury found him not guilty on all counts.
Mr. Orozbekov surrendered to United States forces at Talas Air Base on 4 June last year, as the Popular Front stormed Talas, and was extradited to the United States five days later. Outside the courthouse he thanked the jury and said he would "not be returning to a country that has already convicted me in its newspapers". His lawyers said he had not decided where he would live.
In Talas, a spokesman for the Attorney General said the verdict concerned American law only and had no bearing on the charges of high treason and abuse of office filed in March, and that the office would continue to seek Mr. Orozbekov's return. The Iradi Freedom Society called the acquittal "a verdict on the evidence in New York, not on the Bill of Sale".