ANA officer kills man, burns his body

SHIBERGHAN (PAN): An elderly man was allegedly killed and his body set on fire by a couple in Shiberghan, the capital of northern Jawzjan province, police said on Thursday.

Mohammad Tahir, a public bath owner, was killed on Tuesday and his body set afire by Amir Mohammad, an Afghan National Army (ANA) officer and a woman, identified as Zewar.

Jawzjan police chief Brig. Gen. Abdul Aziz Ghairat told Pajhwok Afghan News Tahir was killed on charges of having illicit relations with the daughter of Zewar, a resident of Kahlak village.

He quoted the victim’s son Abdul Matin, as saying that his father had gone missing two days ago. Ghairat said Zewar and Amir Mohammad had been detained.

Amir Mohammad, allegedly in love with the girl, and the woman had confessed to their crime during preliminary investigations, Ghairat added.  

The detainees admitted killing Tahir with a hammer and burning his body in a clay oven, the police chief said, adding Zewar’s daughter managed to flee after the incident.  

Abdul Matin said: “My father left home with $10,000 in his pocket.” The killers’ motive was to grab the money, he claimed.

But crime branch chief, Col. Abdul Malik Mamnoon, dismissed the claim as unfounded. He quoted the murderers as saying that the victim had only 15,000 afghanis ($299.2).

Provincial hospital director, Dr. Mirwais Amini, said police had brought some burnt bones in a bag to the hospital. He suggested the remains should be sent to the Kabul Forensic Department, because they have no medical facilities.

Haj department spokesman, Maulvi Wali Mohammad Shebani, condemned the murder as a cruel act. “Both the killer and the victim have committed crimes, but burning the body of someone is a graver offense. Islam suggests capital punishment for the offender.”

mm/mud

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