The Supreme Court of Afghanistan “Estara Mahkama” sentenced two higher ranking officials of Kabul Municipality on charges of “misuse of power”

SC officials revealed the names and nature of charges against the accused. Identifying them as Muhammad Zahir Administrator and Muhammad Faqeer Bahram, deputy administrator of Kabul Municipality, the court officials confirmed a penalty of two and three years in jail for them respectively.

Muhammad Ismail Abid, a court official, said that the deputy adminstrator/executive was arrested on the orders of President Karzai. The named official further said that Mr. Bahram had earlier been found innocent by the lower courts but the Supreme Court found him guilty of “misuse of power” and was subsequently sentenced to three years of imprisonment.

Mr. Abid added, “The lower courts found Mr. Bahram innocent since no obvious charges were levelled against him or any substantial evidence was provided. Therefore, the courts elevated him of the charges. However, the the committee for the public safety as a result of their investigation found him guilty and thusly he was awarded three years of imprisonment”

Muhammad Faqeer Bahram, the deputy adminstrator of Kabul Municipality, in response to the allegations levelled against him said nothing but insisted that he had never misused his power. Mr. Bahram termed the verdict ‘unjust’ and said he possesed enough evidences to prove his point once he challenges the decision again.

Following the sentence of these two to imprisonment, the officials of city planning department of Kabul Municipality have also come under questioning. Officials say that these individuals will be introduced to the refferal bodies once the investigation is over.

If these orders are immediately implemented, these two individuals would be the first officials to be sentenced to imprisonment. Lower ranking officials of the Ministy of Haj and Auqaf had been sent to jail last year as well. However, such high ranking officials are rarely brought to justice in Afghanistan.