Posted by AddisZena Ethiopia addisnews.net
In a statement jointly given by Federal Police Commissioner Zeinu Jemal and representatives from the Federal Attorney General and the Addis Ababa Police Commission today, it was announced that forensic and other evidences indicate that the Manager of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Simegnew Bekele (Eng.), committed suicide.According to the investigation results from Simegnew’s phone call with his secretary, the letter he left and forensic results, the police said that the engineer committed suicide.
Mr Simegnew’s body was found in a car in the main square of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
The engineer was in charge of the country’s controversial multi-billion-dollar project to dam the Nile.
Spontaneous demonstrations broke out in the wake of his death as some thought he had been murdered.
At the time, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said he was “saddened and utterly shocked” by the news of Mr Simegnew’s death.
Ethiopia cancels turbine contract on Nile dam in reform push
Ethiopian Nile dam manager Simegnew Bekele found dead in his car At his funeral, police used tear gas to control the thousands who had gone to pay their respects.
After more than a month looking into the engineer’s death, the authorities found “that he used his own gun and killed himself,” police chief Zeinu Jemal told journalists.
Mr Simegnew’s fingerprints had been found on the gun and the doors of the vehicle were all locked from the inside, the police chief added.
He also said that the engineer had left messages for his secretary and child explaining that he might be going away for a while.
Source: BBC and EthiopianReporter
