Number of Detainees Suspected of Corruption Reaches 42 == == == ==

 

The number of officials, businesspersons and brokers detained for alleged corrupt practices has reached 42, with a recent arrest of five individuals, the Federal Attorney General Getachew Ambaye said.

 Three of the detainees added to the list recently are the former CEO of the Addis Ababa Housing Development Project Office, Tsedale Mamo, Assistance Coordinator of the Office, Shimeles Alemayoh and Assistance Head of Land and Infrastructure Design Saba Mekonen.

 

The detainees from the Housing Development Project Office are charged with the embezzlement of 41 million Birr.

Imprisonment of the alleged individuals is based on audit report, information from the public and government employees as well as thorough investigation, Getachew added.

Briefing journalists, the Attorney General noted that the investigation will proceed in an extensive and strengthened way to root out corruption.

Officials in the Omo Kuraz-5 Sugar factory were detained for paying 30 million USD as a commission for individuals at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Cooperation to illegally grant a contract for a company called JJIEC.

Detainees from the Metehara Sugar Factory have allegedly caused an estimated 74.5 million Birr production loss due to explosion to a 42 million Birr turbine due to negligence to undertake on time maintenance.

The detainees from the Ethiopian Roads Authority are charged with embezzlement of over 1.358 billion Birr through illegal procurement and granting contracts without auction.

Individuals from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Cooperation have allegedly embezzled more than one million Birr.

Moreover the detainees had allegedly granted a contract for a company called Transnational Computer Technology (TCT) and disbursed 20 million USD even though the company failed to complete the project.

They also granted a 19.2 million USD contract for a company called Techno Brain for a project called the Integrated Budget and Expenditures System in similar way, he added.

The charges have also include embezzlement of over 1.1 billion Birr and 198 million Birr by officials who had been working at various levels at the Ethiopian Sugar Corporation and Addis Ababa Road Authority respectively.

During a search to the house of the detainees, a number of exhibits including huge amount of local and foreign currencies, ownership documents of houses, land and vehicles as well as shareholdings in different companies were found.

Over three million Ethiopian Birr was found in the house of one of the detainees’, while thousands of pound sterling, tens of thousands of Euros, hundreds of thousands of US dollars as well as Chinese, UAE and Ugandan currencies were also found at residences of the detainees.

This strong commitment of the government is a beginning to end corruption, said Getachew.

The investigation to identify individuals and accomplices who are engaged in corrupt practices as well as gathering the necessary evidences to bring them to justice will continue, he said.

In this regard, Getachew urged active engagement from the public in providing tips and information.

It is recalled that 34 officials, businesspersons and brokers were arrested last Tuesday and eight more were added to the list since then.