A civil suit against Ashebir Woldegiorgis and three other senior members of the Ethiopian Olympic Committee takes another turn in light of allegations that the defendants blatantly disregarded a court-ordered injunction on the Committee’s financial accounts.
Judges at the Federal High Court have also rejected an appeal from Committee President Ashebir and his fellow defendants, ordering that the injunction is to remain in place until they are due to appear in court next month.
Plaintiffs led by renowned athlete Haile Gebreselassie allege that Ashebir led an awards ceremony organized at the Marriott Executive Apartments in Addis Ababa just one day after the Federal High Court ordered a freeze on the Committee’s bank accounts. They accuse Ashebir of doling out millions of birr tied to these accounts to media professionals and other individuals during the ceremony.
“We will continue to give out prizes even though we’ve been barred from doing so by the likes of Haile Gebreselassie,” Ashebir allegedly said during the ceremony.
The plaintiffs have requested the court to recommend a criminal prosecution against the defendants for allegedly violating Article 443 of the Criminal Code.
The court is set to convene on October 11, 2024.
