Paykan granted 20 guards instead of being jailed

KABUL (Pajhwok): A former public order police commander, who is sentenced to eight years in jail term over corruption in initial indictment 10 months ago, has been granted 20 bodyguards instead of being imprisoned, but the commander rejects the allegation.

The appellate court of Anti-Corruption Justice Center (ACJC) in December 2017 awarded eight years and six months jail sentence to Public Order Police Commander Gen Zamarai Paykan over complicity in murder and misuse of authority. Eight others involved in the case were awarded from one and a half years to eight years of imprisonment.

Ten months have passed since the appellate court verdict, but the Attorney General Office (AGO) says it did not process the case and Zamarai Paykan is not detained yet.

When asked why Zamarai Paykan could not be jailed, Jamshid Rasouli, AGO spokesman, said the question should be asked from the Ministry of Interior (MoI).

Pajhwok Afghan News tried several times to contact the MoI spokesman for comment about the issue, but no one responded.

Mohammad Kabir Ranjbar, a legal expert, says anyone sentenced to imprisonment by the court should be arrested and jailed by the AGO in cooperation with police. However, Paykan was instead granted 20 bodyguards for his protection.

Mohammad Radminsh, deputy Defense Ministry spokesman, said Paykan as a precautionary measure had been put under house arrest in his own residence.

Paykan has also requested 20 bodyguards from the Ministry of Defense in a letter, a copy which is obtained by Pajhwok. The ministry has approved the request on July 28.

In his letter Paykan said: “As security threats are increasing with each passing day, I ask the Chief of Army Staff to deploy security men from the public order police (for my protection) so I do not face any problem until my case completes in the courts.” The letter is signed by Paykan.

Gen. Mohammad Sharif Yaftali, Chief of Army Staff, responded to the letter as: “Dear public order police headquarters, deploy 20 personnel to Zamarai Paykan by considering the security situation of Kabul and demand of Paykan, please also take action for salaries of the personnel.”

Mohammad Radminsh said the issue should be discussed with the Chief of Army himself.

But Paykan told Pajhwok no government weapons or security personnel were with him.

He did not provide details about his letter to the MoD, but said: “I have been living in my home since last one year.”

About the ACJC initial court verdict, he said: “I will go to the court when biased judges go away and the judiciary system is cleansed of politics.”

Mds/ma

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