Azernews.Az

BAKU – Two employees of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Taxes have been detained on corruption charges.

The arrests follow a complaint filed last Friday to the ministry by businesswoman Kabira Habibova, who charged that the two men who introduced themselves as ministry employees had conducted unlawful audits at the cafe she owns and demanded a bribe, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the ministry said in a joint statement.

A scrutiny carried out by the ministry revealed that Khayal Jalilov, a chief tax inspector, and Ilham Dadashov, another employee of the ministry, indeed conducted unlawful audits at the cafe. During the check-up they warned that Habibova would face a 1,000 manat (about $1,300) fine due to failing to sign an employment contract with one of her employees. They sought 400 manats (over $500) from the cafe owner to avoid documenting a violation. Habibova promised to give them the money later in the day, according to the joint statement.

Jalilov and Dadashov were detained by employees of the Prosecutor General’s Office department on fighting corruption and the tax ministry while taking the money from Habibova.

The defendants were ordered held in detention pending trial and could face eight to twelve years in prison, with the confiscation of property, if convicted.