UN official admits fraud ‘widespread’ in Afghan election

THE top UN official in Afghanistan acknowledged yesterday there was “widespread fraud” in the August presidential election, responding to allegations by a former deputy that he had tried to downplay charges of ballot-stuffing by supporters of the incumbent.

Kai Eide refused to give specifics or lay blame to avoid influencing the ongoing recount.

Peter Galbraith, the top-ranking American in the UN mission, was fired on September 30 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon after the widely publicised dispute over how to deal with the fraud allegedly committed on behalf of President Hamid Karzai.