3 Senators Sentenced to 10 Years in Jail on Corruption Charges

The primary court of the Anti-Corruption Justice Center sentenced three Afghan senators to 10 years in prison.

Three members of the Meshrano Jirga, the Upper House of Parliament, were sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison each by the primary court of the Anti-Corruption Justice Center on charges of accepting $40,000 in bribe money from customs officials in Balkh, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) said on Saturday.

Senators Mohammad Anwar Bashliq, Mohammad Azim Qoyash and Liyaqatullah Babakarkhil are accused of asking for $60,000 in bribe money from customs officials in the Hairatan port in the northern province of Balkh, the AGO said.

They were arrested last year in December while accepting $40,000 in bribe money, according to the AGO.

The AGO said that the primary court of the Anti-Corruption Justice Center made the decision based on seven reasons against the senators.

The senators were also fined $40,000, the AGO said.

This comes Herat mayor and six others were each sentenced to three years in prison by the Anti-Corruption Justice Center and were fined $75,000, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Last year in December, the Meshrano Jirga assigned a delegation to assess the arrests of the senators.

The Afghan Senate has said that the three were members of the economy committee of the Senate and had traveled as part of a team to the city of Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh to monitor the security and economic situation in the province, especially the activities of the customs office.