Ethiopian parliament strips immunity of state minister

By Addis Getachew and Abebech Tamene

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - The Ethiopian Parliament on Friday stripped the immunity of Finance and Economic Cooperation State Minister for alleged embezzlement, local media said.

Alemayehu Gujjo, who is also a parliamentarian, was later arrested, according to FANA Broadcasting Corporate.

The measure against the state minister was taken upon the proposal of Federal Attorney General Getachew Ambaye during an urgent meeting of parliament.

Ambaye said the government had been bringing to court individuals suspected of corruption in five federal level institutions and also Addis Ababa, which is an autonomous city administration.

The parliament lifted Gujjo's immunity in a decision passed with only one abstention in a 547-seat House.

The minister's immunity was stripped on the grounds of having acted without the approval of the Federal Public Procurement and Property Administration Agency, and having made a payment pretending the task given to a certain firm without auction was accomplished.

The Ethiopian government on July 25 arrested 34 senior public officials, investors and brokers for alleged embezzlement of public funds. Later the number was reported to go up to 48 in an ongoing crackdown on corruption.