Foreign Ministry: Ekin Sopokov couldn’t explain why his car was near murder scene

AKIPRESS.COM - Erkin Sopokov could not provide explanations why his Range Rover was found near the murder scene of Chinese national Aierken Saimaiti in Istanbul, the Foreign Ministry of Kyrgyzstan said. Erkin Sopokov was appointed as Consul General of Kyrgyzstan in Istanbul on April 17, 2017. Since that time he received several reprimands over improper performance of duties, the Foreign Ministry said in the statement released today.
Particularly, Sopokov and driver of the General Consulate I.S. Havazov repeatedly violated traffic rules and rules of use of official vehicles. In connection with that Sopokov was rebuked, but Havazov was fired.
The check of the Foreign Ministry by the General Prosecutor's Office found Sopokov has not submitted tax declaration for 2017.
"In late October 2019, Sopokov violated the established procedures of registration and return of diplomatic car plates by giving his Range Rover to the Ramadan Tourism car salon for further sale. He could not explain why his car was near the murder scene," the Foreign Ministry of Kyrgyzstan said.
In view of the improper performance of duties, gross violation of the law on diplomatic service of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963, the Foreign Ministry submitted suggestion to President Jeenbekov to dismiss Erkin Sopokov from his post.
The President sacked Sopokov.