An Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) clergyman allegedly tried to defraud African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa. According to a complaint filed by the AU, the accused Belay Mekonnen, a clergyman and deputy manager at the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, tried to cheat the AU out of more than $6 million.
The charging documents, filed on April 16, 2024 by AU with Police Commission, state that Belay attempted to withdraw USD 6.05 million from AU accounts using fraudulent paperwork. Belay’s identification is attached to the charging documents, which were also copied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Belay was part of a group of clergymen who tried to create a new synod in the church in Oromia more than a year ago.
On 15th April 2024, a person went to the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia inside the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa. He requested withdrawal of $6.05 million from AU accounts showing fake authorization documents. This branch of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia has been working for the last 20 years and dealing only with AU accounts. The person said that this money was needed for construction and purchase of machinery for an AU project.
The bank called the AU finance department to confirm the transaction before giving the money and the department asked the bank to stop this transaction immediately. The security officials apprehended the person and took him to the police station.
Additionally, Madalisto Lowole, head of the Financial Management division at the AU Commission, wrote a letter to the Crime and Traffic Accident Investigation department and asked them that the papers used in the request for withdrawal of money from four people’s accounts were all fake.
Abie Sano, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Chief, confirmed the incident but he said no money was taken out from the AU accounts. The president of the biggest commercial bank in the country said the person who tried to cheat had no idea how the money system of Ethiopia works. The Ethiopian banks do not hand over foreign money in the cash.
Reportedly, the African Union Headquarter is considering transfer of its money from Ethiopia as it was not the first time that someone tried to defraud the AU. Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) so far issued no statement about AU’s allegations against one of its senior clergymen.
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If it is true it is a big shame
I belive it will be true but he don’t represent EOTC, becuse he was warked to split EOTC to oromiya Orthodox,Tigray Orthodox and others which are beliving religious ethinicty to help the the achivement of government vission. As we remember he was the hiden driver of the former EOTC challenge, which was the plan of prosperity as Obo Shimelis(oromiya president)was said””” Ethinicty is above religion “”
My heart was broken for the first time,when I knew as he was the main driver of spliting EOTC based on ethic groups. But this time I am happy to hear this becuase he shows him self for all world ( both religious and non religious ) by his action and the decision will be the EOTC followers.
He is a member of Prosperity, not EOTC clergyman. He is a cause of Orthodoxy killing in the Oromia region. He never represents our church.