Melaku Fenta, Director general of the Ethiopian Revenues & Customs Authority (ERCA) , Eshete W. Semayat, chief prosecutor of ERCA, Ketema Kebede of K.K. Plc, Simachew Kebede of InterContinental Addis The Second Criminal Bench of the Federal High Court has adjourned the hearing of detained businessmen and top level officials from the Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority (ERCA), including director general Melaku Fenta, until tomorrow afternoon, May 14, 2012.

Three separate cases were presented to the Bench on the afternoon of Monday, May 13, 2013, in connection with the wave of arrests made last Friday and Saturday, of several heavyweights within government and business circles, due to alleged corruption. The hearings of Melaku and his deputy, Gebrewahid Woldegiorgis, who heads the law enforcement directorate within the ERCA, were held separately.

Hailemariam Fires Justice Ministe Brehan Hailu_lost his job as Minister of Justice

Justice Minister Brehan Hailu has been fired from his job on Friday, May 10, 2013, reliable sources disclosed to Fortune. Brehan has received a letter from the Prime Minister’s Office, signed by Hailemariam Desalegn, late on Friday, according to these sources. Brehan has been serving in this capacity since 2005. He was moved to Justice after his previous ministry, Ministry of Information, was dissolved by law.

However, the decision to remove the Minister from Office has come as little surprise in the government circle. He has lost his position in the powerful executive committee of the ruling EPRDF, when elections were held back in March 2013. He was under fire during a convention of his party, the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM), held in Bahir Dar in March, held as a prelude to the EPRDF congress, which was held  in the same city.