Stop corruption in Covid-19 fund: US Embassy

The US Embassy in Kabul has expressed concern over the “misappropriation” of the funds to battle the pandemic in Afghanistan.

The Embassy said in a statement: “Do you know that dozens of Afghan officials have been referred to the Attorney General’s Office for misappropriation of COVID-19 response funds.” 

“This malfeasance costs Afghan citizens not just financially, but in delayed access to potentially life-saving medical care,” the Embassy tweeted.

The Embassy called on the Afghan officials to “Stop Corruption.” 

This comes as earlier this week, the Inspector General’s Office of Afghanistan said that more than 220 government officials are suspected of being involved in embezzling COVID-19 funds.

The office claims that 15 provincial governors are also among those suspected of corruption and embezzlement.

The Inspector-General Ghezal Haris said Sunday that cases involving the suspects have been referred to the Attorney General’s Office (AGO).

“We have sent 223 corruption cases of 16 provinces to the AGO,” he said adding that this involved officials from governor level down.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Supreme Audit Office (SAO) has found that high-ranking officials have also been involved in embezzling COVID-19 funds. These cases have also been referred to the AGO.

Mohammad Naeem Haqmal, Head of the SAO stated: “We have investigated cases of mayors and police chiefs and ministers including [the embezzlement Covid-19 funds] in the last one year, and 132 government officials have been referred to the Attorney General’s Office.”