Lodin labels foreign entities as most corrupt

KABUL): Accusing foreign entities of having a big share in corruption, High Office of Oversight and Anti-Corruption (HOOAC) head on Tuesday acknowledged they have been unable to curtail the menace.

Addressing Kabul University teachers, HOOAC head Azizullah Lodin claimed most of foreign citizens were involved in corruption in Afghanistan. “Foreign organisations give money to us with one hand and take away with the other”.

He said foreign citizens had been hired as advisers at various government departments against high salaries despite the fact they lacked competency and skills.

Lodin said all government departments, including the Attorney General’s Office, courts, customs offices, municipalities and the HOOAC itself were rife with corruption. He confirmed some HOOAC employees were involved in corruption, but he had no evidence against them.  

Without naming any official, he claimed some HOOAC officials, dealing cases of individuals accused of grabbing thousands of acres of land and embezzling millions of dollars, received bribes.

Coming hard on Kabul Municipality, Lodin said millions of dollars had been released to the department for construction of roads, but it had no mechanism to monitor work quality on projects.

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