Graft-tainted Khost Kuchi affairs director introduced to attorneys

KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): The provincial director of Kuchis (nomads) affairs in southeastern Khost province has been introduced to the attorney’s office over alleged administrative corruption, officials said Thursday.

Atta Mohammad Qanay, the Kuchis affairs director and a former Paktia Teachers Training Center head, was introduced to the attorneys by the appellate court.

The Paktia appellate court, in a letter sent to the Khost appellate court, has ordered the detention of Qanay for embezzling 4.9 million afghanis when he was in charge of Khost Teachers Training Center in 2013.

The letter says the money Qanay embezzled had been allocated for purchasing needed equipment for the Paktia Teachers Training Center.

Another letter from the appellate court in southeastern Paktika province to the Khost court had asked for detention of Qanay in connection with an embezzlement issue when he was in charge of Paktika education department.

The letter asked Khost appellate court to detain the accused through security forces and hand him over to Pakitka authorities.

Khost appellate court head Rahimullah Ramih, said he was unaware about the issue, but said the letter from the Paktika appellate court had arrived to them last year.

But documents and evidence obtained by Pajhwok Afghan News show that the Khost appellate court had been asked for help.

On the other hand, Qanay said he was ready to cooperate with courts in his case. However, he said security forces from the Khost crime branch tasked with following his case misbehaved with him on Wednesday.

He said there was no corruption case against him in the Paktika appellate court.

 “A month back, I went to Paktia appellate court and provided the information they needed, but Khost crime branch chief sent his forces and showed unprofessional behavior, I don’t know what they wanted, but I explained my case to them,” he said.

However, Khost governor’s spokesman, Talib Mangal, said embezzlement allegations against the Kuchis affairs head were untrue and only based on rumors.

On the other hand, Paktia appellate court head Sayed Anbar Pacha said that Qanay was detained in Khost on Tuesday and then transferred to Paktia province.

Atta Mohammad Qanay served as head of Paktia Teachers Training Center two years ago. He was fired from his position over corruption allegations.

But after his job’s dismissal in Paktia, he was appointed as head of Kuchis affairs in Khost province.

Sayed Anbar Pacha said they had received the case of Qanay and would start investigation next Saturday.

“It is a case of corruption and embezzlement, we will share detailed information with the media after an investigation,” he said.

Around five million afghanis were embezzled in supplying furniture and other tools to the Paktia Teachers Training Center, prompting the governor to fire a few people and introduce them to attorneys.

However, some other people involved in the same corruption case are yet to be introduced to attorneys for unknown reasons.

mds/ma

 

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