1TV, August 18, 2015

Former Olympic, sports officials embezzled millions: anti-corruption body

The graft, in which top former officials were also involved, happened in the process of recruitment, inking contracts and acquiring donation

Former officials with Olympic committee and Directorate of Physical Education and Sports have embezzled tens of millions of Afghanis, the country’s top anti-corruption body said Sunday.

The officials embezzled the money when Zahir Aghbar was in-charge of Olympic committee while the Directorate of Sports and Physical Education was directed by Kiramuddin Karim, the High Office of Oversight and Anti-corruption.

“The graft by the officials was found following an investigation by the authority,” said Abdul Qahar Farukh Siyar, head of public relations office for HOOAC.

While the official declined to detail how much money was embezzled, he said the case of referred for prosecution and that more money is expected to be found have been grafted.

The graft, in which top former officials were also involved, happened in the process of recruitment, inking contracts and acquiring donation, according to the investigation by the anti-graft body.

When reached, former NOC head Zahir Aghbar, Kiramuddin Karim, the former director of sports declined to comment; the Attorney General’s Office too.

“Anyone who has committed fraud in the sports of the country shouldn’t appear again in the sector,” said Khairullah Lal Zada, a representative of Wushu in Takhar province. “They should be banned so that we could assemble back the sports of the country.”

Kiramuddin Karim was suspended in March following a presidential decree that also assigned a delegation to investigate corruption allegations in his then Directorate of Physical Education and Sports.

Zahir Aghbar currently acts as security advisor to Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.

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