Kabul mayor accused of massive corruption

KABUL (Pajhwok): A parliamentary panel on Wednesday accused the Kabul mayor of committing massive corruption ranging from the sale of government lands on forged documents to embezzlement of millions of dollars.

Members of the Wolesi Jirga Commission on Communications and Transportation presented findings of their probe into complaints against Mayor Muhammad Yunus Nawandesh at a press conference in Kabul, calling for his immediate removal.

They alleged Nawandesh had failed to answer questions from lower house members about his involvement in grabbing state property, allowing construction of illegal buildings and transferring government land plots in names of his sons.

The panel head, Qais Hassan, told reporters that a six-member parliamentary team had been assigned to look into charges against the Kabul mayor.

He claimed they had found documents proving Nawandesh had misappropriated millions of dollars from the municipality’s funds. He said the mayor had repeatedly been asked to come to the parliament and answer questions from lawmakers, but he declined.

The MPs said 49 legislators had demanded the suspension of the mayor. “We have previously requested the Presidential Palace to suspend the mayor and the palace had agreed, but later some officials changed the presidential order. Now the issue is with the High Office of Oversight and Anti–Corruption.”

The public representatives also accused the mayor of approaching the commission head through some elders to set on fire the documents proving his corrupt practices.

But Nawandesh vehemently rejected the allegations, saying he was ready to stand trial. He added if he emerged clean, the accusers should be tried for levelling false allegations against him.

Nawandesh also said some lawmakers had been involved in corruption, saying those accusing him of graft wanted to force him into legalising their unlawful buildings and townships.

The mayor insisted he had never been involved in any type of corruption and instead had been fighting against the menace ever-since his appointment.

mds/ma/mud

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