News: Federal Court sentences senior clergyman to 5 years in prison, 10,000 Birr fine for attempting to withdraw over $6M from AU account

Addis Abeba– The Federal High Court Lideta Branch has sentenced kesis Belay Mekonnen, a senior Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) clergyman, to five years of rigorous imprisonment and a 10,000 Birr fine for his involvement in an attempted financial fraud targeting the African Union (AU).
The court also sentenced the second and third defendants, Eyasu Endale and Bereket Mulatu, to three years and three months in prison, with a 3,000 Birr fine each.
The case involved allegations that kesis Belay Mekonnen and four others attempted to withdraw over “$6 million” from an AU account at the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia. The AU previously stated that “a series of Payment Transfer Orders were submitted” at its headquarters branch in Addis Ababa by “an individual who is not an employee of the African Union.” The funds were purportedly designated for “construction and water drilling projects.”
Following a review of witness testimonies and material evidence, the court had issued a guilty verdict on 15 January and scheduled today’s sentencing.
During today’s hearing on 30 January 2025, the court ruled that the defendants engaged in a “coordinated and organized criminal act.” Prosecutors cited violations of multiple provisions of the Criminal Code related to corruption offenses, while police had previously described the scheme as an “act that tarnishes our good relations with African countries.”
Kesis Belay Mekonnen, who was serving as deputy general manager at the EOTC Patriarchate at the time of his arrest, was accused of leading the fraudulent scheme alongside the second defendant, Eyasu Endale, an agricultural investor; the third defendant, Bereket Mulatu, a commission agent; Alemgena Samuel, a commission agent; and Abera Merga, manager of Nimona Trading Business Enterprise.
The fourth and fifth defendants’ cases were temporarily suspended due to their repeated failure to appear in court.
The court ordered that the sentences be enforced by the Addis Abeba Correctional Facility, taking into account the time already served in detention.AS