Legal Status Profiles

Records

Bereket Simon

Ethiopian politician and founding member of the EPRDF who served as Minister of Communication Affairs from 1995 to 2012.

ConvictedLatest source dated 2023-01Last reviewed 2026-10-26

What is Bereket Simon’s legal position?

TIRET Corporate endowment corruption case (Amhara region)

Convicted

Current position. He was convicted in May 2020 and sentenced to six years; he was released on parole in January 2023, and the conviction stands as no successful appeal was reported.[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Authority
Supreme Court of Amhara National Regional State
Status date
2020-05-08

History

  1. 2019-01-23 Arrested at his Addis Ababa residence by Amhara regional authorities; held in Bahir Dar with former TIRET official Tadesse Kassa.
  2. 2019-04 Charged with corruption linked to TIRET Corporate (alleged embezzlement of more than 2.2 billion birr, with Tadesse Kassa).
  3. 2020-05-04 Found guilty on two of four corruption counts (embezzlement of public funds and abuse of power).
  4. 2020-05-08 Sentenced to six years' imprisonment and a fine of 10,000 birr, counted from 23 January 2019; co-accused businessman Daniel Gizaw cleared.
  5. 2023-01 Released from prison in Bahir Dar on parole; appeals had not been accepted (reported).

Sources

  1. Former Ethiopian minister jailed for corruptionAnadolu Agency, 2020-05-08, secondary source
  2. Ethiopia court convicts ex-minister Bereket Simon over corruptionAfricanews, 2020-05-08, secondary source
  3. EPRDF veteran Bereket Simon released five months after due dateAddis Standard, 2023-01, secondary source
  4. Ethiopia arrests ex-govt minister Bereket Simon over corruptionAfricanews, 2019-01-23, secondary source
  5. Bereket Simon, Tadesse Kassa sentenced to 6, 8 years in prisonFana Broadcasting Corporate, 2020-05-08, secondary source

Change history

  • 2026-10-26 Record published.

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