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By Mehret Tesfaye
Posted to the web on August 23, 2009 |
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August 23, 2009 (ADDIS ABABA) - The owners of the Omedla hotel have lost their battle with the government to keep ownership of the building.
The hotel was sealed earlier this week by the Addis Ababa City Government's Decree Execution Department, after the hotel's former owners loses a court battle with the Privation and Public Enterprises Supervising Agency (PPESA).
According to the former owner Belay Abate Omedla Hotel, located around the newly constructed Nations and Nationalities Square was confiscated during the Dergue Regime in 1975 with a letter signed by officials of the Dergue.
The owners Belay and his father Abate Wolde were put in jail as they were deemed “anti revolutionary” by the then authorities.
The hotel was then returned to Belay and his family in 1999 by a ruling of PPESA.
Ever since, the owners were operating the hotel business. However, in 2005 PPESA reversed its ruling and returned the property back to the Government Housing Agency, stating that the building owners presented phony documents when claiming their property back.
The Supervising Agency further investigated the case and wrote a letter stating that the owners has been receiving compensation fees from the government after appealing in 1977 defying the fact they never accepted the compensation package the regime had been giving out.
The Agency said these facts led to the reversal of the previous ruling and the Government Housing Agency should take back the hotel. However Belay said he was not given an opportunity to defend the case he argued had violated his rights. His attempt to have the court see his case was unsuccessful and the case was closed as the court of cassation ruled on it on Friday August 7th.
Relevant Government officials were not immediately available for comment.
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