Ethiopia has arrested Yared Zerihun, former deputy chief of the country’s intelligence agency, state affiliated media outlet Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) reported on Thursday.
Zerihun had served as deputy chief of the Ethiopia National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) until April.
NISS has in recent years been accused of torturing and killing dissidents and rebels.
FBC reported Zerihun, who had been on the run for several days, was arrested from an undisclosed location on Wednesday.
The arrest of Zerihun is part of a crackdown by the Ethiopian government targeting security officials accused of mass corruption and human rights abuses.
On Monday, Berhanu Tsegaye, Ethiopia’s Attorney General said 63 intelligence and army officers have been arrested over accusations of corruption and human rights abuses during a six years period from 2011 to 2017.
“Some of the suspects have already been presented before court, while we are currently searching for other fugitive suspects,’’ Tsegaye said.
According to him, some of the fugitive suspects are believed to be hiding inside the country, while others are suspected to have escaped to foreign countries.
The arrest of the suspects is part of the promise the new administration of Prime Minister Abiy ahmed, which assumed office in April, made to the public to restore law and order and crack down on high level corruption.
Xinhua/NAN
