Ethiopia: Regime withholds names of arrested corruption suspects

ESAT News (July 26, 2017)

Report of the arrest of “senior” government officials and their cronies is occupying the headlines of the propaganda apparatus of the regime but there has been no official release as to the identities of the individuals.

Reports on state-run media say 34 individuals, most of whom were said to be “senior” government officials was announced Tuesday but no names were disclosed to the public.

A similar report of the arrest of 130 government officials was announced six months ago by the mouthpieces of the regime but that report
disappeared into thin air with no follow-up statement from the regime nor were there any charges filed against the alleged officials.

A pro-government newspaper, Sendek, quoting its sources disclosed the names of 7 of the 34 the detained suspects.

Former executives of the Tendaho Sugar Factory, Abebe Tesfaye, Tesfaye Dimitsu, Behailu Gebeyehu, Ephrem Alemayehu are among the officials arrested on Tuesday.

Endalkachew Girma, Mrs. Senait Worku, and Hayelom Kebede who were executives of the Metehara Sugar Factory were also apprehended, according to the report.

Critics say the news of the arrest of the alleged corrupt officials was just a distraction employed by an oligarchy that is rejected by the people.