Convicted ex-mayor of Khost finally jailed

KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): A former mayor of southeastern Khost province was sent to jail on Tuesday, eight months after he had been sentenced to seven years in imprisonment by a local court in a corruption case, an official said.

Attorney Mohammad Shoaib Sabit told a press conference here ex-mayor Eng. Mohammad Sharif had illegally signed a deal with a construction company last year.

He said the deal had caused the municipality department more than 13 million afghanis in losses.

The Court of Appeals had sentenced Sharif to seven years in jail in light of evidence provided by the provincial attorney’s office, but the government had been reluctant to arrest him, Sabit said.

 “Eng. Sharif should have been arrested eight months back. He remained free and even continued working on his post due to his personal contacts with higher ups”, Sabit claimed.

Police finally arrested the former mayor on Tuesday and sent him to the central jail in Khost City.

Several high and low level officials have been arrested on corruption charges and tried over the past few years.

dai/ma

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