High Court Rules Ermias Amelga's Walks Out of Jail

Judges at the Federal High Court have passed a ruling today ordering the release of Ermias Amelga, the founder of Access Capital Services, from jail.

The Court ordered the Federal Prison Administration to let him out, three days after the Office of the Attorney General announced it has dismissed the charges against him.

Ermias is among the 63 defendants whose charges were dropped by the Attorney General beginning this week. The defendants were charged for alleged corruption and human rights violations as well as perpetrating violence and attacks.

Biniam Tewolde, the former director at the Information Network Security Agency (INSA); Alem Fitsum, founder of Alemegent Steel Factory; Christian Tadele, a spokesperson for the National Movement of Amhara (NAMA); and Tariku Lemma, a leader of Sidama Nationalist Youth, a.k.a Ejeto, were among the released.

Ermias was arrested in January 2019, on charges of alleged corruption in the transfer of Imperial Hotel to the Metals & Engineering Corporation (MetEC). The charge claimed that Ermias, who was then the general manager of Access Real Estate, had sold the Hotel to MetEC without going through a bidding process, and at an inflated price - selling the hotel for 72 million Br, while its actual value was 51 million Br.

He was the only defendant among the 63 who remained in prison yesterday while others were released.

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