KABUL (SW): Salam Watandar has obtained documents that suggest Farooq Wardak, the former Minister of Education, and Muhammad Saeed Mansour, the Education Director for Kabul Directorate of Education embezzled 25 million afghanis from the public fund.
This is revealed in a 51-page report compiled by the Inspection Board of the Ministry of Education (MoE), based on reviewing various contracts such as 119 contracts of rented buildings for schools, 10 contracts for construction of the boundary walls, and 11 contracts for goods’ supply.
9, 036, 200 embezzled in 2014
On May 24th 2014, Farooq Wardak ordered Muhammad Sadiq son of Sirajuddin, and Abdul Raziq son of Abdul Baqi to handover AFN 9,036,200 to Fazalul Haq Sahibzai, the Head of Services at the Ministry of Education. But, the research conducted by the Inspection Board of MoE reveals that the amount has been embezzled under the guise of charges for lunch and transport for the students during Nawroz (New Year) festivity. In response to the inquiry, Fazlull Haq Sahibzai however, claimed that he has not received the amount. Sahibzai stated that the claim that the amount has been sent to Najeebullah, the financial aide at the Directorate of Services is baseless. He added that the lunch and transport charges for students were supposed to be paid by the arrangement commission of the Nawroz festivity not the MoE.
Responding to the Board of Inspection Directorate of the Ministry of Education, Najeebullah son of Muhammad Aslam has said that in the presence of Inspection Board, he has received 5 million afghanis from Muhammad Sadiq son of Sirjuddin, the aide for Directorate of Supply, and AFN 4,036,200 from Abdul Rezaq son of Abdul Baqi, the aide for the Office of the Minister. Najeebullah has claimed that he was authorized by the Minister of Education to receive this amount in cash.
The Board of Inspection has asked the Supreme Court to take legal action against Fazullhaq Sahibzadah and his five partners.
11, 121, 415 embezzled by the Director of Education
In the year 2014, the Kabul Directorate of Education signed 3 contracts with Afghan Capital and PowerPoint logistic firms.
Kabul Directorate of Education signed 2 contracts worth of AFN 8,126,215 with Afghan Capital firm and it also inked the 3rd contract with PowerPoint enterprise group. Months later, after the contracts were signed it was realized that PowerPoint firm literally did not exist.
In another case, the director at KDE has purchased low quality uniforms. This purchase has been conducted in line with the minister’s approval. The document indicates that the uniforms have been billed 16 times higher than the usual price.
This 51-page document clearly shows that Muhammad Saeed Mansur, the director for Kabul Directorate of Education, Muhammad Asif Anwari, the deputy manager at Kabul Directorate of Education (KDE), Miya Rahim Safi, a temporary employee at the KDE, Noorullhah Mahrwar, the general director at the Directorate of Supply, Muhammad Aziz, the general director at department of service and Yarghal Nadir, the head of Afghan Capital firm have been involved in the embezzlement.
AFN 4,490,000 embezzled by the head of KDE
The Documents also showed that the head of KDE has also embezzled ANF 4,4900,00, on the pretext to purchase 50 computer and printers from Afghan Capital and PowerPoint firms. The perpetrators have duplicated the bills in this case. The prices noted in the bills are 10 times higher than usual rates in markets.
Farooq Wardak defense himself
In the meantime, Farooq Wardak told Salam Watandar that he had formed a 20 member arrangement commission for Nawroz festivities. He added that as there was no specific budget designated for the festivities, the departments at the ministry contributed for the festivity.
Acknowledging the existence of bribery in lower level of the ministry, Wardak has claimed that not a single penny has been embezzled during his tenure at the office.
Salam Watandar tried to talk to Mohammad Saeed Mansur, but despite repeated phone calls, he avoided replying. There are however, a number of questions yet to be answered.
ENDS
