A sweeping corruption probe is taking place in Oromia Regional State where investigators have apprehended 77 suspects, including Bahiru Tekle, mayor of Gelan town.
The wave of arrests began a week ago and continued today. Most of the suspects have appeared before court; investigators from the Oromia Region’s Anti-Corruption Commission have received the right of custody, according to Abebe Kebede, the Commissioner.
The suspects are from the Oromia Credit & Saving Association, Oromia Procurement & Property Disposal Agency, the region’s roads authority, Gelan’s and Shashemene’s city administrations and Jimma zone. Along with Bahiru, Mengistu Regassa, head of Bole Lemi Industrial Park; Teshome Legesse, head of Oromia Credit & Saving Association; Feyisa Regassa, former mayor of Shashemene town; and Abdo Geleto, former head of the region’s roads authority, are among the detainees.
The region’s police force conducted the arrests following investigations that was undertaken by the Oromia Anti-Corruption Commission’s nine branches across the regional state over the past year, according to Abebe. The investigation was spread across 10 different files involving the procurement of 71 million Br in items, the Commissioner said.
“The arrests will continue based on the investigation we are undertaking,” Abebe told Fortune.
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