Ethopia: 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…