Addis Abeba — Addis Abeba police says five senior officials of land management office of Lemi Kura sub-city are on the run and being sought by law as part of government's anti-corruption crackdown.

According to police, head of land management office Habiba Umer, her deputy Tesfaye Girma, land management officers Bekalu Tsadek and Chemdessa Fulea, as well as Leul Terfe, who was chief executive of woreda four of Lemi Kura sub-city went on hiding.

Police said the individuals are wanted on suspicion of crimes of misusing their power to prepare fake documents, and carry out grand theft of government and public land. It called on the public to give information on the whereabouts of the suspects.

Speaking to state broadcaster, Adanech Abiebie, Mayor of Addis Abeba, however hinted that Habiba Umer, head of land management office of the Lemi Kura sub-city who is on top of police list may have fled the country already.

The mayor spoke in length about difficulties the city administration is facing in terms of bringing corrupts to court of law in the face of a strong network of corrupts in government structure and lack of cooperation from the court.

Last week the city administration also said 12 out of 37 individuals suspected of corruption were arrested in Lemi-Kura sub-city. AS