The primary court of the Anti-Corruption Criminal Justice Center (ACJC) has sentenced Brigadier Gen. Abdul Rahman Sarjang, former police chief of Helmand, to three years in prison.

In a public hearing on Saturday, the judge accused Sarjang of abusing authority, embezzlement of a government vehicle and releasing two suspects from custody.

“Two soldiers Jannat Gul and Rohullah were arrested with 500,000 Pakistani rupees. The money was given back to the owner. After nine days the two suspect soldiers were released by the accused (the police chief) after threatening a jail official,” said Mujiburrahman Adib, an ACJC prosecutor.

The defense attorney of the police official denied the accusation and said the claims had been made by a mafia circle against Sarjang.

“He (Sarjang) says that he is aware that the two soldiers were released from custody. However, the custody center has its own officials. The police chief does not have the authority to release any prisoner. Please show us the evidence of where the order was issued by the police chief (Sarjang),” said Mahmoud Akbari, the defense attorney of the police official.

At the court session, Sarjang said: “I don’t accept the accusations against me. I was not involved in what was said against me.”

Anti-corruption monitoring organizations criticized the ACJC for focusing on small corruption cases instead of bigger cases.

“We expect the ACJC to focus on the cases which are demanded by the people, and the national and international organizations,” said Abdul Qahar Farrukh Siyar, spokesman for anti-corruption authority.