The former minister of mines, Wahidullah Shahrani, was sentenced to 13 months in jail and fined $1.5 million on charges of misuse of authority when he served in the post, the Afghan Supreme Court said on Saturday. 

The Supreme Court said that Shahrani is accused of misusing his authority in awarding the contract for a cement factory in Herat and a coal mine contract in Sang-e-Pahlawanan district in Herat with an Iranian firm. 

The Supreme Court says that according to the latest hearing, the Ministry of Mines under Shahrani’s leadership could "not pay the $1.5 million guarantee money for a contractor."

Shahrani has rejected the allegations.

This is a developing story.