Ethiopia Police have detained a number of individuals on suspicion of corruption allegation and for planning to carry out terror attacks, according to the Federal Attorney General on Saturday.
The Attorney General Berhanu Tsegaye told reporters that a total of 59 suspects were arrested from three public institutions on allegation of corruption and economic sabotage. Among the detainees include government officials and investors.
They were arrested on allegation of grand corruption committed within the institutions, during projects implementation and procurement process. The investigation process took three months, he indicated.
Following the investigation conducted within the public procurement and property disposal service, about $23.7 million US dollars of public funds has been wasted during the procurement of 400 metric tonnes of wheat.
Similarly, the officials at the Water Works Construction Corporation were detained on suspicion of wasting 55 million birr of public funds during the procurement of reinforcing bar (rebar), the Attorney General stated.
Police, in joint operation with the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), also detained individuals while they were planning to carry out terrorist attack in alliance with other global terror groups, he added.
The attorney general, Berhanu Tsegaye said that the arrested officials included the head and other staff, of the government’s public procurement and property disposal service, and others who worked in what was previously the finance, economics and cooperation ministry.
“We found properties, such as title deeds of houses held by the suspects, who are beyond their income,” Berhanu added.
MG/abj/APA