Couple missing after stealing 100 vehicles

KABUL (Pajhwok): A couple rented 100 vehicles from people using documents of three firms and stole some of the vehicles and mortgaged others, Pajhwok Afghan News has reliably learnt.

Some sources say the couple took away more than 100 Hilux, armored land cruiser, Corollas and Prado vehicles against rents ranging from $650 to $5,000 each from people in Kabul.

The victims say their cars were rented by three companies about two years ago namely Dinson Limited, Quinn Non-Military Clothing Company and Noorzi International Firm, but after paying a three-month rent, the couple went missing.

They say Rashid Ahmad is president of Dinson Limited and his wife,SaeedaEmadi, is the president of the Quinn non-military Clothing Company, and Mohammad ShafiNoorzai is the president of the Noorzai International Company. Rental contracts have been signed with these companies.

The cars were given on rent to the mentioned companies, while according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the three companies are registered with the ministry but Quinn and Dinson firms have not renewed their licenses since 2018.

Haji Mirwais, a complainer and food items shopkeeper in Kabul’s 3rd MacroRayan Market, told Pajhwok Afghan News that SaeedaEmadi and her husband misled him and told him that the US Embassy and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Kabul were renting Hilux, armored land cruiser, Corollas and Prado vehicles and those interested in giving their vehicles against rent should sign contracts first with the firms.

However, the US Embassy and USAID in Kabul say they havenever signed any contract with the mentioned firms.

Mirwais said he trusted Rashid’s and his wife words and brought 25 cars at low rent from peopleand rented the same at a higher monthly rate of $650 to $5,000 to Dinson firm.

He said he had given 21 vehicles to Saeeda and four vehicles to her husband Rashid Ahmad.Mirwais also provided copies of the contractswith the mentioned vehicles to Pajhwok.

According to him, he received a three-month rent of his five vehicles, but after he went to collect the rent of his other cars, he was told that the couple had changed their office from Wazir Akbar Khan and since his vehicles were missing.

Mohammad Amin, another victim, also provided copies of his five vehicles contracts with the Dinson Limited, Quinn Non-Military Clothing Company and Noorzi International Firm. He provided five vehicles to Saeeda and her husband and had not received rent of a single month.

Another victim WazirGuloffered his two vehicles to the firms against rent. He said one of his vehicles was missing and he regained his second vehicle after paying $5000.

The case is also being investigated by the Attorney General Office.

The 7th Committee of the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor’s Office says: “Mohammad Shafi son of Mohammad Nabi, president of the Noorzai Transport Firm, wrote a compliant letter to the National Directorate of Security (NDS) on February26, 2018.

It says Rashid Ahmad, head of the Quinn firm and his wife SaeedaEmadi, director of Bahar organization,had said they had signed a contract with the US Embassy to complete its vehicles.

In a pre-arranged program, 79 new armored and Hilux model vehicles were hired against monthly rent and the couple obtained a bank account number from Ghazanfar Bank.

The vehicles’ rent was paid for four months normally but later no rent was paid and the total outstanding amount reached $1720, 000 and transferred to unknown places.

It could not be ascertained as what for these vehicles were used as Rashid and his wife have been on the run since that date.

The AGO also wrote that some of the mentioned vehicles had been given on rent and SeyedHabib and SeyedCheragh Ali were arrested by NDS personnel after they gained some equipment from the couple.

Also in the section of reasons against Mohammad ShafiNoorzai, it is stated in the indictment: “1- The direct claim of the plaintiffs that Mohammad Shafi was Rashid Ahmad’s partner and we handed over our vehicles to Mohammad Shafi.

The signature and seal of Mohammad Shafi’s office were available. 3- He is guarantor of summoning Rashid Ahmad to the Kabul Police Headquarters.

In the other part of this document, it is stated: “According to Articles 725 and 492, they are punishable under Articles 58 and 14 of the Penal Code.”

According to information provided to Pajhwok by the victims, SeyedHabib and SeyedCheragh Ali, who were released on bail, are currently on the run and their contact numbers are not working, but Mohammad ShafiNoorzi is in Kabul and says he too was deceived by Rashid and his wife and forced to pay millions of dollars to the victims.

ShafiNoorzai, head of the Noorzai International Company, told Pajhwok that two years ago, Rashid, whom he knew in the past, told him that he had taken over the US embassy equipment supply project and wanted him (Shafi) to participate in the contract.

“After the discussions, things started. I told Rashid several times to sign the contract that we are partners. He did not sign a contract with me and always said that we will do it today and tomorrow,” he said.

“During the same period, I rented 46 cars for him from a number of people and handed them over to Rashid. I also paid the car rent for three months myself.

Noorzai says at this time he found a job in Canada and went there with family, and when he returned from Canada, Rashid and his wife were missing.

“When I returned to Kabul, dozens of people came to my office and demanded their rent and cars.I have rented 107 vehicles from people.”

He said he had to pay $7 million as price of 46 cars and $ 2.6 million as rent of the carsbecause he rented them from people and handed them over to Rashid and his wife. To pay the money, he said, he sold his house, land and other properties.

JamshidRasouli, spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office, said the case had been referred to court by the prosecutor.

pk