BANKERS CHARGED WITH CORRUPTION IN ETHIOPIA

FORTY-one top officials of the state-run Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) and 13 businessmen were Wednesday charged by Ethiopia’s anti-corruption commission in the High Federal Court. CBE Chairman Tilahun Abay and six vice-chairmen as well as 24 other officials were among those charged. They were accused of abuse of power for self-enrichment and for having approved “illegal” loans to 13 businessmen, some of whom have been behind bars for several months. Some of the accused are no longer in Ethiopia. Defence lawyers asked for bail but this measure has been outlawed for corruption suspects since June 2001 as part of a “zero-tolerance” policy. – AFP