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The governor of Afghanistan's central bank, Abdul Qadeer Fitrat, has
resigned and fled the country, saying his life is in danger for
investigating fraud.
He said the government had interfered in his efforts to pursue those
responsible for corruption at the privately-owned Kabul Bank.
Mr Fitrat was speaking from the US where he has residency. He says he
will not return to Afghanistan.
An Afghan government spokesman said the resignation amounted to
treason.
Waheed Omar, Afghan President Hamid Karzai's spokesman, also added that
Mr Fitrat was himself under investigation.
"My life was completely in danger and this was particularly true after I
spoke to the parliament and exposed some people who are responsible for
the crisis of Kabul Bank," Mr Fitrat said on Monday.
The embezzlement at Kabul Bank, Afghanistan's largest private bank,
almost led to its collapse last year after it was discovered that hundreds of
millions of dollars had gone missing. The bank handles up to 80% of the
government payroll, including salaries for policemen and teachers.
A run on the bank was only avoided by the injection of massive amounts of
public funds and government guarantees.
'Investigation blocked'
Investigators say that the bank made hundreds of millions of dollars of
inappropriate loans. It was founded in 2004 by Sherkhan Farnood, a leading
international poker player.
The bank was bailed out in September, which is when the central bank also
took control of its finances. Mr Fitrat, as president of the central bank,
was in charge of an investigation into what went wrong.
As the crisis at Kabul Bank unfolded, President Karzai pledged to fully
investigate those involved in the crisis.
But Mr Fitrat alleges that the central government did not assist him in the
investigation or provide any help in recovering the bank's assets.
"During [the] last 10 months during Kabul Bank crisis, I continuously
pressed for the creation of a special prosecution, for the creation of a
special tribunal to investigate and prosecute those who were involved in
Kabul Bank's fraud," he told the BBC.
"I did not receive any information that there is a credible plan to
prosecute, to investigate and prosecute these individuals. The high
political authorities of the country was responsible [for blocking] these
efforts," he alleged.
He said he left the country after he received information that his life was in
danger from "credible sources".
In April, Mr Fitrat publicly named in parliament high-profile figures who were
allegedly involved in the near collapse of the bank.
Relatives of President Karzai, including his brother, Mahmoud Karzai, were
among those named in connection with the scandal. Mr Fitrat also
implicated the brother of Vice-President Qasim Fahim.
Both men - who were major shareholders in the bank - deny the charges.
They say they are being targeted because of their position
'Foreign advisers'
President Karzai has said Afghanistan lacks the necessary banking
experience to oversee the institution and has blamed foreign advisers for
the crisis.
He has also pledged to ensure that those responsible are subject to
criminal investigations.
The International Monetary Fund wants the Afghan government to wind
down Kabul Bank before it releases the funds for a new assistance
programme. A recent IMF report said the bank should be placed in
receivership.
Britain has already suspended a $140m (£85.6m) payment in aid to the
country following the crisis.
"We take note of Governor Fitrat's decision to step down as central bank
governor," IMF spokesman Raphael Anspach is quoted by the Wall Street
Journal as saying.
"We look forward to continue discussing with his successor ways to
improve the Afghan banking system in the period ahead."
resigned and fled the country, saying his life is in danger for
investigating fraud.
He said the government had interfered in his efforts to pursue those
responsible for corruption at the privately-owned Kabul Bank.
Mr Fitrat was speaking from the US where he has residency. He says he
will not return to Afghanistan.
An Afghan government spokesman said the resignation amounted to
treason.
Waheed Omar, Afghan President Hamid Karzai's spokesman, also added that
Mr Fitrat was himself under investigation.
"My life was completely in danger and this was particularly true after I
spoke to the parliament and exposed some people who are responsible for
the crisis of Kabul Bank," Mr Fitrat said on Monday.
The embezzlement at Kabul Bank, Afghanistan's largest private bank,
almost led to its collapse last year after it was discovered that hundreds of
millions of dollars had gone missing. The bank handles up to 80% of the
government payroll, including salaries for policemen and teachers.
A run on the bank was only avoided by the injection of massive amounts of
public funds and government guarantees.
'Investigation blocked'
Investigators say that the bank made hundreds of millions of dollars of
inappropriate loans. It was founded in 2004 by Sherkhan Farnood, a leading
international poker player.
The bank was bailed out in September, which is when the central bank also
took control of its finances. Mr Fitrat, as president of the central bank,
was in charge of an investigation into what went wrong.
As the crisis at Kabul Bank unfolded, President Karzai pledged to fully
investigate those involved in the crisis.
But Mr Fitrat alleges that the central government did not assist him in the
investigation or provide any help in recovering the bank's assets.
"During [the] last 10 months during Kabul Bank crisis, I continuously
pressed for the creation of a special prosecution, for the creation of a
special tribunal to investigate and prosecute those who were involved in
Kabul Bank's fraud," he told the BBC.
"I did not receive any information that there is a credible plan to
prosecute, to investigate and prosecute these individuals. The high
political authorities of the country was responsible [for blocking] these
efforts," he alleged.
He said he left the country after he received information that his life was in
danger from "credible sources".
In April, Mr Fitrat publicly named in parliament high-profile figures who were
allegedly involved in the near collapse of the bank.
Relatives of President Karzai, including his brother, Mahmoud Karzai, were
among those named in connection with the scandal. Mr Fitrat also
implicated the brother of Vice-President Qasim Fahim.
Both men - who were major shareholders in the bank - deny the charges.
They say they are being targeted because of their position
'Foreign advisers'
President Karzai has said Afghanistan lacks the necessary banking
experience to oversee the institution and has blamed foreign advisers for
the crisis.
He has also pledged to ensure that those responsible are subject to
criminal investigations.
The International Monetary Fund wants the Afghan government to wind
down Kabul Bank before it releases the funds for a new assistance
programme. A recent IMF report said the bank should be placed in
receivership.
Britain has already suspended a $140m (£85.6m) payment in aid to the
country following the crisis.
"We take note of Governor Fitrat's decision to step down as central bank
governor," IMF spokesman Raphael Anspach is quoted by the Wall Street
Journal as saying.
"We look forward to continue discussing with his successor ways to
improve the Afghan banking system in the period ahead."
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