Covid-19 funds misuse cases referred to AGO

KABUL’s Ombudsperson Office on Wednesday announced referring 52 individuals, including a minister, to the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) over misappropriation of Covid-19 funds.

Former public health minister Dr. Ferozuddin Feroz and four deputy ministers have been introduced to the AGO on charges of corruption and dereliction of duty.

Feroz Bashari, the Ombudsperson Office’s spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News in an inclusive interview that they had handed over 52 ceases of corruption to the AGO regarding Covid-19 pandemic expenditure.

He said as a result of their investigations, the former public health minister was among eight individuals from Kabul had been referred to the AGO. The rest of 44 accused are from Badakhshan, Nuristan, Herat and Maidan Wardak provinces

According to him, provincial financial and administrative heads and procurement monitoring committee members are among the accused.

He said they had introduced the individuals to the AGO for alleged graft, unnecessary purchase of costly items and mismanagement.

He added 550 documents related to the cases had also been handed over to the AGO. The process to investigate alleged corruption in the Covid-19 funds in others provinces was underway and their result would be shared soon with the public, he continued.

Bashari said they were also probing corruption in the free bread distribution scheme for the poor by the Kabul Municipality.

Jamshid Rasooli, the AGO spokesman, also confirmed receiving the cases from the Ombudsperson Office. He said the cases were being investigated by relevant departments and the outcome would be shared with the media.

pk/mud