Ethopia: Fed. Court passes guilty verdict against senior clergyman, others in fraudulent attempt to withdraw over US$6M from AU account

Clergyman Belay Mekonnen, the main suspect. Photo: Screenshot

Addis Abeba – A federal court in Addis Abeba passed guilty verdict against Kesis Belay Mekonnen, a senior clergyman from the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church (EOTC) and other individuals accused of committing a financial fraud by attempting to withdraw more than US$6 million from the African Union (AU) account.

On 15 April last year, the AU admitted that, “…a series of Payment Transfer Orders were submitted to the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, at their Branch located…