Bereket Simon
በረከት ስምኦን
Minister of (Ethiopian) Government Communication Affairs
In office
1995–2012[1]
Prime MinisterMeles Zenawi
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byGetachew Reda
Personal details
Born1960s
Dabat, Begemder, Ethiopian Empire (now Amhara Region, Ethiopia)
Political partyAmhara Democratic Party

Bereket Simon (Tigrinya: በረከት ስምኦን; born 1960s) is an Ethiopian politician who had served as Communications Minister for the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), of which he was a founding member.[2][3][4] He underwent medical treatment in Saudi Arabia financed by the billionaire Mohammed Alamudin.[5][6] He was a close friend of former prime minister Meles Zenawi since their University days.[7] He was widely considered as Meles Zenawi's right-hand man.[8]

Personal life

Bereket was born in Dabat to an Eritrean family.[9] As he was in high school in 1978,[9] he was likely born in the 1960s.

Legal issues

On 23 January 2019, Bereket was arrested by the Amhara Region government in relation to corruption along with Tadesse Kassa, a civil servant.[10] On 8 May 2020, Bereket was convicted of corruption and sentenced to six years of prison. Tadesse Kassa, a former TIRET Corporation board member, was also convicted.[11] However, after serving probation in prison located in Bahir Dar, the government released him on account of parole on 25 January 2023. According to his defense lawyer Hiwot Lilay, Bereket should be released in September 2022 for his one-third of jail term in accordance with the regional law, despite having no opportunity to him.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Former Ethiopian minister jailed for corruption". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  2. ^ "Bereket Simon - Bio, News, Photos". Washington Times. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
  3. ^ Washington, The he now quit his job (2012-01-18). "Briefly: Africa". Washington Times. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
  4. ^ Alfa Shaban, Abdur Rahman (8 May 2020). "Ex-Ethiopian minister jailed 6 years for corruption". Africa News. Archived from the original on 2020-05-09.
  5. ^ "BBC News - Meles Zenawi: Ethiopian leader 'getting better'". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-08-01. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
  6. ^ "Ethiopia braces itself for post-Meles era | Africa | DW.DE | 22.08.2012". DW.DE. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
  7. ^ David Smith in Johannesburg (2012-08-21). "Ethiopia's Meles Zenawi dies of undisclosed illness | World news | guardian.co.uk". London: Guardian. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
  8. ^ "Ethiopia arrests ex-minister for mismanagement of funds - FANA".
  9. ^ a b Observer, Ethiopia (2017-10-16). "Hailemarim's policy study and research advisor, Bereket Simon resigns". Ethiopia Observer. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  10. ^ AfricaNews (2019-01-23). "Ethiopia arrests ex-govt minister Bereket Simon over corruption". Africanews. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  11. ^ "Ethiopia jails former minister for corruption". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  12. ^ St, Addis; ard (2023-01-25). "News: EPRDF veteran Bereket Simon released five months after due date; family expects his arrival in Addis Abeba today". Addis Standard. Retrieved 2023-01-25.

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