RASC News Agency: A person who had been sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Taliban court in Nangarhar province has been released after allegedly paying a bribe of $400,000 to the head of the Taliban appeals court, Mahazullah Arif. The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity on November 8th, revealed that Imran, the man who was sentenced, had been involved in various crimes.
In exchange for the hefty bribe, Arif released him from prison. However, Arif himself fled to Pakistan, submitted his resignation, denied the accusations against Imran, claimed that Imran was innocent, and stated that he had been forcibly imprisoned by the military court of the Taliban group.
Imran’s release was reportedly coordinated with the leadership of the Taliban group, although his current whereabouts remain unknown. The Taliban group in Nangarhar province has not yet commented on the incident. This incident is not an isolated case, as officials of the Taliban group have previously faced allegations of embezzlement and bribery in different provinces of the country. Despite claiming to fight against corruption, the Taliban group has banned the broadcast of reports and news related to the financial corruption of its officials in the domestic media.
The corruption within the Taliban group has raised concerns about its credibility and commitment to combating corruption. While the group has made claims of fighting against corruption, reports of officials engaging in corrupt practices have surfaced over the past two years.
The release of Imran after allegedly paying a bribe further highlights the need for transparency and accountability within the Taliban group. The incident also underscores the challenges faced in addressing corruption within the group, as it continues to restrict the dissemination of information regarding its officials’ financial misconduct.
