DUSHANBE: A Russian military court in Tajikistan on Wednesday sentenced two soldiers from Moscow’s largest foreign military base to lengthy prison terms for murdering a local taxi driver.

Fyodor Basimov and Ildar Sakhapov, both 24, were stationed at Russia’s 201st military base in Tajikistan when they killed 36-year-old Rahimjon Teshaboev last year.

On Wednesday, Basimov and Sakhapov were sentenced to 17 and 13 years in prison respectively.

Under the terms of an agreement between Russia and Tajikistan, crimes committed by Russian soldiers in the country are subject to Russian law.

Teshaboev’s body was found with knife wounds last August seven kilometres from the Russian military base outside the capital Dushanbe. Nigora Khaitova, representing the family of the murdered father-of-three, said he was killed after loaning money to one of the soldiers.

“After the murder, the soldiers stole a further 37,500 roubles ($542 at the current rate) belonging to the taxi driver,” Khaitova told AFP.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play