Monday, October 31, 2011

Yaregal Aysheshum, Family Assets Frozen over Allegation of Corruption

Assets of Yaregar Aysehshume, MP and director general of the Federal Cooperative Agency, have been frozen by the Federal High Court on October 20, 2011 following a request from prosecutors of the Federal Ethics & Anti-Corruption Commission (FEACC).

 The assets were frozen on the same day as Yaregal was arrested on suspicion of corruption in the bidding procedures of the construction of three educational institutions which cost 83 million Br during his tenure as president of the Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State.

 Assets registered under Yaregal’s wife, Tigist Bekal and his two children, who are minors, have also been frozen on the request of Beryehune Asegdom, public prosecuter of the Anti-Corruption Commission.

 The former Director General’s house, built on 1,204sqm of land in Assosa, 675km from the capital, a 1,000sqm plot, both in Benishangul Region, and a 500sqm plot in Bole district, registered under his name have been frozen. A total of 4,132sqm plot in the region, a one storey house resting on 500sqm in Oromia Regional State, a 500sqm plot in Bole district and a condominium house, and restaurant all registered under his wife’s name were also frozen. The court has additionally frozen a 1,490sqm plot in the region registered under one of Yaregal’s child’s names.

 Also under arrest for involvement in the corruption is Gezahgne Hadge, manager of Gad Construction and Habtamu Hica, former head of the region’s Education Bureau and speaker of the house for the region’s Parliament. Gezahgne was arrested only two days after Yaregal while Habtamu was arrested a while back.

 All of the men are suspected of corrupt involvement in the construction of Tana Beles, a boarding school for women; Gilgel Beles Teachers Training Collage as well Technical and Vocational Training centres that were planned to be constructed in five zones of the regional state six years ago.

 Investigators of the FEACC are claiming that proper bidding and procurement procedures were not followed. As a result, the project, which was supposed to have been finished in 13 months, is not yet completed. The Commission claims that this has resulted in a loss of seven million Birr in payments outside of the contract agreement.

 Gad Construction, established in 1993, was one of the contractors that allegedly awarded the project through an improper bidding process.

 Although the Commission received tips about the alleged embezzlement at the end of 2009, the investigation and evidence gathering took time, according to the Commission.

 The arrest of Yaregal and Habtamu was held back until Parliament had resumed session. Yaregal’s immunity was revoked by the house on October 18, 2011, a week after Parliament was back in session.

 The investigation has yet to uncover the exact amount paid by contractors to Yaregal and Habtamu for their alleged undue advantage, according to the Commission.
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