The primary court of the Anti-Corruption Criminal Justice Center (ACJC) on Tuesday evening held an open trial for at least eight people accused of embezzlement in a fuel contract case involving the state-owned Ariana Airlines.
The ACJC court sentenced Abdul Ghafar Dawi, head of Dawi Oil Group, and his deputy, Asghar Ghiyasi, each to nine years and nine months in prison.
“According to Article 158 of the Criminal Code, you Abdul Ghafar Dawi are sentenced to nine years and nine months in prison and 6,000 AFs as a fine. And you Asghar Ghiyasi are imprisoned for nine years and nine months plus 6,000 AFs as a fine,” the ACJC judge Sher Aqa Munib said.
The two will also pay over $38 million USD in total to government as compensation, based on the court’s decision.
“You Abdul Ghafar Dawi and Asghar Ghiyasi will have to pay $21,350,402 USD and 16,495,380.33 USD for compensation,” the judge said.
Meanwhile, Abdul Razaq Zulali, former director of transportation at the Ministry of Transport, got five years and seven months in prison. Two other officials of the ministry and an official of the Civil Aviation Authority were prosecuted on charges including misuse of authority and forgery.
“The court is respectably asked to punish the suspects based on the law,” said Mohammad Alem Atiq, prosecutor.
The accused meanwhile rejected the claims against them.
“From the day we have provided fuel to Ariana (Airlines) until today, we have provided them with $19 million USD, based on the letter of the oil and fuel department,” said Abdul Ghafar Dawi,
“The issue over the letter of the National Procurement Authority is firm and is in order,” said Mohammad Asghar Ghiyasi.
Some of the accused claimed that they had acted based on the procurement law in signing the Ariana Airlines fuel contract.
The hearing continued for more than seven hours.
Three other accused in the case were acquitted by the court.
The court also ordered action against other suspects in the case.
According to the prosecutor, Dawi and his deputy were accused of embezzlement in fuel contracts, ignoring court orders and tax evasion.