On 15 April last year, the AU confirmed that, “…a series of Payment Transfer Orders were submitted to the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, at their Branch located within the African Union Headquarters, in Addis Ababa.
The Payment Transfer Orders were submitted by an individual who is not an employee of the African Union. These orders designated substantial funds to various recipients under the premise of construction and water drilling works, amounting to over $6 million.”
The defendants were appearing at the Federal High Court, Lideta Division, 3rd Criminal Bench, which has been reviewing the fraudulent evidence submitted by federal prosecutors.
During Wednesday’s hearing the court issued a guilty verdict under the relevant provisions of the Criminal Code, according to state media.
The main suspect, Belay Mekonnen, who was the deputy general manager at the EOTC Patriarchate during his arrest, was accused along with others of attempting a fraudulent withdrawal of the money in a “coordinated and organized criminal act” according to the city police, which called the attempt an “act that tarnishes our good relations with African countries.”
MG/abj/APA