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Ethiopian extortion victim lands in jail

Posted on , Updated on by EthiopianReview.com

When we picked up the story about Ethiopian scientist and inventor Admasu Gebre who was thrown in jail for copyright violation in Ethiopia, we were almost certain that the ruling party Woyanne was behind it. We have heard too many similar cases in the past to reach at such a conclusion. Copyright dispute would not land any one in Ethiopian jail unless the complainant or the plaintiff is a member or friend of the ruling party.

The facts we have gathered since the story (see here) published on August 31 indeed show that retired Ethiopian Navy commander Admasu Gebre is a victim extortion. Here are some of the facts we have collected so far:

1. Commander Admasu Gebre, 70, is a native of Ethiopia and currently holds Dutch citizenship. He was a commander of the former Ethiopian Navy. As an engineer and researcher, he holds a patent for Vehicle Guidance System, which is worth tens of millions of dollars (USD). Last year, he started to build a manufacturing plant in a suburb of Addis Ababa that produces solar-powered lamps. He is involved in many other projects as well.

2. Admasu has an interest in the arts. In 2006, he was looking for a film to finance. He is introduced to Los Angeles resident Bruke Mekbib Abayneh that same year. Admasu reads a script titled Mentiyewochu (the twins) written by Adinew (Adonis) Woldemariam. He purchases the script and all domestic and international rights for a total sum of 20,000 birr, which is thought to be a fair market price in 2006.

3. Bruke Mekbeb, under his company Bruke Films Plc in Addis Ababa, signs a one film production agreement with Navcon Energy PLC owned by Admasu Gebre. They agree to split the profits — Bruke 45%, Admasu 55%. Bruke Mekbib does not invest any money in the deal. In fact, Bruke receives a 25,000 Euro advance from Admasu against his future 45% earnings. Bruke uses the advance to rent an office and hire a staff in Addis Ababa. Bruke Mekbib is named as Producer of the film under Executive Producer Adamsu Gebre in local news media.

4. The witness and guarantor during these negotiations, agreements and transactions was Bruke’s uncle Alemseged G. Yohannes the former Addis Ababa Police Deputy Commissioner. No need to go further to find a reason for Admasu’s predicaments. But let’s continue any way.

5. Soon after the agreement, Commissioner Alemseged receives a Euro 10,000 loan from Admasu.

6. After signing the contract in Addis Ababa, Bruke returns to Los Angeles.

7. Los Angeles based filmmakers Zeresenay ‘Z’ Mehari (Director), Alula Amdemicael (Cinematographer) and David L. Smith (Editor) sign on to make the film. Zeresenai Mehari flies to Addis Ababa and starts casting actors.

8. Admasu wires an additional $83,000 into Bruke’s bank account in Los Angeles. The money was to be used to purchase film making equipment.

9. Alula Amdemichael and David Smith identify and assist Bruke in the purchase of all equipment on behalf of Admasu Gebre’s company Navcom Energy PLC. All reciepts are sent to Admasu in Ethiopia.

10. Around this time, Bruke’s uncle, Commissioner (or more commonly known as “Shaleqa”) Alemseged comes to Los Angeles to buy cars to ship to Ethiopia. Bruke takes him to an auction and helps him buy 3 cars.

11. In Addis Ababa, Admasu pays tariff and takes delivery of the equipments. All the equipments were bought in his name.

12. All the purchased film equipment are shipped to Ethiopia via Ethiopian Airlines Cargo in November 2006. Admasu pays all tariffs and takes delivery of his equipment and records all serial numbers and verifies receipts.

13. Bruke, Alula and David arrive in Addis December 5, 2006. Admasu allows equipment to be transferred and housed in Bruke Films offices for the duration of the project. Pre-Production of the film starts right away.

14. In Jan 2007, Zeresenay Mehari resigns and returns to Los Angeles.

15. Alula Andemicael takes over directing duties.

16. Observing that Bruke is incompetent and free spending with the film production money, Admasu tries to replace him from his position as Producer while allowing their financial arrangement to remain intact. Bruke refuses to leave and chases away his replacements through intimidation. Production of the film starts at the end Jan 2007. Admasu and Alemnseged have a very public falling out at the Hilton Hotel Lounge.

17. Admasu goes to court claiming breach of contract. Bruke argues that Admasu refused to give him additional funds to finish production and asks the court to void the initial contract and award him 100 percent ownership of the film.

18. Alemseged is also sued by Admasu for misrepresentation and fraud. After endless appointments at the courts, which is typically followed by new appointments, the film is close to being completed.

19. The court rules in favor of Admasu and orders all film equipment, script copies, filmed material as well as edited footage to be returned to Admasu effective immediately.

20. By this time greed and vendetta set in. The intention of Bruke and Alemseged from here on is to make an example out of Admasu for daring to stand up to members of the ruling class.

21. Admasu wins the court case, but Bruke refuses to return the equipment and film to its rightful owner. The police prove useless in enforcing the court order.

22. After filming is completed in July 2007, Bruke returns some of the equipment and hardware. What was inexplicably missing amongst other things was the raw footage, the Apple G5 computer used for editing and several hard drives containing the ingested film. Admasu cries foul. He is given more appointments (six of them).

23. In September 2007, the court orders Bruke to return all the remaining property to Admasu. But with assistance from Shaleqa Alemseged, he smuggles the computer and hard drives out through Bole Airport and both fly to Los Angeles.

24. Admasu files a complaint through his lawyers in a Los Angeles Court. Admasu’s lawyers present a paper trail proving rightful ownership. The Los Angeles court agrees Admasu is the rightful owner. Admasu’s lawyers take possession of the G5 computer, the hard drives and all its contents.

25. In early 2008, Admasu contracts Alula and David to complete the post production of the film and make it ready for release.

26. Bruke and Shaleqa Alemseged re-launch a new court battle against Admasu, this time with the help of Woyanne heavy-hitters.

27. In June 2008, the film was ready. Alula Andemicael returns to Addis Ababa. Admasu starts the advertising campaign with ads on ETV announcing the release. However, after about two runs, a common thug and an employee of ETV, Tewodros Oqubai, a cousin of Bruke, intimidates ETV programmers into stopping the broadcasting of the ad.

28. Admasu is interviewed on a local radio station. He talks about the details that are happening. Shalaqua Alemseged pays a visits to the radio host and demands a retraction of the interview. Alemseged was too late. The interview was already being broadcast on 104.5 and Alemseged got the pleasure of listening to it in his car as he was driving.

29. Bruke goes to a district court and obtains an injunction against showing the film in theaters. Immediately after that, Admasu gets permission from the President of the High Court to premier the film at Sebastopol Cinema in Addis Ababa.

30. Two days later, Admasu shows the film at Cinema Empire twice in one day. Addis Ababa police pick him up and detain him for 4 days and he is released after the police could not find any legitimate thing to charge him with.

31. The police from Maekelawi (Central Investigation Station) question Alula for 6 hours. Representatives if the US Embassy in Ethiopia along with Admasu and his lawyers arrive at Maekelawi Station on behalf of Alula Amdemicael a US citizen. Alula is told he is free to leave. Federal Police waiting outside Maekelawi arrest Admasu and accuse him of being in possession of a wireless Internet router.

32. Admasu languished in jail for 2 weeks before he gets his day in court. The prosecutor tells the judge, in open court, that Admasu is a genius and that his actions need to be watched carefully as he has the mental power to turn the earth and sky upside down. The embarrassed judge admonishes the prosecutor for uttering such nonsense and orders the Federal Police to release Admasu immediately. The judge apologizes to Admasu.

33. In 2008, Ministry of Trade publishes an article on Addis Fortune announcing Bruke Films PLC to be an illegal entity not allowed to conduct any business in Ethiopia since 2003. It was found that Bruke Films never paid taxes since its inception in 2003. (Bruke Films produced the Teddy Afro Lambadina Music Video series in Ethiopia in 2005, among others works, including several commercials.)

34. In 2009, Bruke takes Admasu to yet another court. Shaleqa Alemseged, who is no longer an official at the Addis Ababa police, currently runs his own private security company, and spends most of his day at Sheraton Hotel and Castellini Restaurant courting local businessmen. On top of running a security company, Alemseged is also known as a fixer (guday asfetsami).

35. There are published reports proving Admasu has won several high value patent infringement cases against such giant corporations like Sony, Motorola, Siemens, Nokia, Thales, BMW, and FORD. Such facts gets the attention of other hustlers. Suddenly, requests for partnerships start to come from powerful elements connected to the ruing party, which Admasu has always declined.

36. Earlier this week, Bruke, Shaleqa Alemseged and gang have finally managed to nail Admasu by manipulating the court system. The kangaroo court hands down a 2.5-year prison sentence against Admasu for a made-up charge of copyright violation.

36. In 2008, Admasu offered Bruke et al yet another olive branch: Let us release the film. We’ll put the proceeds in an escrow account until the court gives a final verdict. Either way, Bruke was to still going to receive his initial 45% share in the profits of the film minus the advances he already had received. Bruke’s response was, “I will show the film after you die.”

Admasu is guilty of one thing for sure: Guilty of being naive about Woyanne.

43 thoughts on “Ethiopian extortion victim lands in jail”

  1. This website is getting better by the article.

    “Admasu is guilty of one thing for sure: Guilty of being naive about Woyanne,” is an understatment, and a fitting conclusion for such a cautionary tale.

    Next: they probably torture Admassu and get his signature to empty his bank account. Admassu’s family better scramble to get a Los Angeles lawyer ASAP and raise alarm otherwise Bruke’s threating words will come a reality: Admassu will succumb to his death in prison.

  2. What happened to Admassu is a bad story full of unfair deals and unjustice. But could be very simple compared to what is happening around Ethiopia. People are killed without court, women are gang rapped, property is looted and taken a broad day. Therefore unjustice dealing and two years term is just as a game with an older brother. He is lucky if he was not assasinated.

    But the story reveals another bad face of the ruling junta in Ethiopia. The Junta and its elites are too hungry and have the intention to loot everything possible, they work like an ants who are collecting ever possible food for its nest. The Junta are gathering theft materials and are building Makale like Dubai. They ahve an intention to rule Ethiopia for hundreds to come. I encourage all ethioians to come togather and get red of this unmercy tribal junta one and for all. That could be acheived whan we get up and fight and do exactly what the TPLF did when they were gorilla fighters, other wise we shall be slaves for ever.

  3. One has to read #35 to judge this whole thing. While I believe that woyanes will do any thing to protect their turf, this article is written for kids. I was born 35 years ago and for a person like me who analyzes and thinks like me, this is unacceptable. Just because “the commander is suspected of having 100 million dollars and he doesn’t want to share or work with woyanes they put him in jail” is a good story for kids. Been there and done that. I am street smart. Even when husband and wife fight, we know how one wants to redicule the other in the most profane and nasty way. The commander’s side is articulating a story that is believable and probably will cause a demonestration in Washington, DC. Some one mentioned that the commander was naive about Woyanne. This Man is woyanne himself, if he is getting into all this business dealings with one of their own while people are struggling to topple the government. I do not blame him for his deal but I ain’t gonna cry for him either. But I for one believe that the guy himself is arrogant and may deserve what he got. I have once met Bruke in Addis bole area. I didn’t get a good vibe from him either. They are all bunch of hooligans down there. One can’t really find that many honest people in Addis this days. Even those who go there from the U.S. have stories that would shock anyone; Therefore, it is like birds of the same feather flock together but sometimes like eagles could bleed each other.

  4. It is very sad. You can’t tell how a Mafia gang behaves, as you said Admasu should have been very cautious though his interest to contribute to his motherland’s development is to be appreciated. He should be glad also that he has not been killed, Meles and all Woyannes for that matter, have a habit of destroying individuals who are intellectually superior to them.

  6. An excellent invesigative report by ER. It is a shame such unbecoming of Ethiopians is taking place in the land of the just. It is abhorent to see fellow Ethiopians denied a just ruling. Every Ethiopian deserves justice.

  7. Once again, I am not surprised, but angry and frustrated that, the country my grandfather gave his life to — is being run by woyane looters and killers.
    The biggest shame and the saddest thing is that Admasu’s story is not isolated incident. Time and time again, for more than twenty years, Woyanes have shown their true pictures to be lawless, undisciplined, heartless, robbers and monster killers. For the last twenty years, Woyanes have been practicing injustice in the justice system and they have no conscience to be bothered by it. Overall, Justice is basically impossible for Ethiopian victims under Woyane law. The question is, how long are we going to tolerate the woyane injustice in the justice system?

  8. Many complaints like this and similar testimonies have been coming out for last 19 years. Recently, I heard a friend was swindled out of millions of dollar, and without thinking I uttered “good”, my sentence was short and it lasted few seconds. The victim is very loved and lifetime friend and by “good” I did not mean that I was happy that he was a victim, but I was angry for him to fail to or do business with known criminal gangs. I didn’t get a chance to explain to listeners what my “good” meant, I have to do it soon, for listener were friends and associates who may have had a shock for my lack of remorse for the victim.

    Woyanes have been transferring Ethiopian assets to Woyane cadres for 19 years. The creation of upper class Woyane layer is in a progress. Ethiopian resources are being transferred to Woyanes for ongoing Woyane’s mission of creation of trusted wealthy and powerful layer and sub layer wealthy protective class.

    Those who resist or question loss of assets and leadership are extorted under duress with a choice of accepting demotions and loss of assets without contention, or be put in a prison, for a chances to collaborate, or resist and continuously suffer, or become religious as a former prime minister.

    Those who have connections and visibility are temporarily left alone for their potential public relation cost. At least for now moving easy targets are defrauded out of properties. New opportunities are also being opened for collaborators to be members as subordinate layers.

    Derg did most of the work for Woyanes. Woyanes come to sitting duck nationalized private properties. Private properties were easily transfers to Woyane assets through privatization hoax. Endowment Fund For Rehabilitation of Tigray EFFRT and affiliate overnight inherited billion assets. Ethiopian military asset was easy duck for Woyane took it all without paying compensations to Ethiopians who served in Ethiopian branches Navy, Air Force and Army. Remember every military personnel were not Derg, but Derg members were from armed forces. Derg also made land easy duck for Woyane to give away, cede, and lease. Transferred means of productions to Woyane business. In all stages they got help from callous foreign agents.

    Merchants, civil servants, and other professionals have not been easy ducks for at least some have had a choice of accepting of Woyane domination or ceding of assets without contention, or be put in a prison to be maliciously reformed in a jail for a chance to accept and survive, or resist and suffer, or become religious as a former prime minister/prisoner. Woyanes first victims were Ethiopian brain, university teachers. Then media, organizations, as the moving targets of Woyane continues to grow it adds more and more victims. Prison will continue to overcrowd, increasing refugees will be seen mistreated by Meles Zenawi partners corrupt governments, and hunger and suffering of many Ethiopians will continue until oppositions wakes up to join hands for life, liberty, freedom of the people and survival of a country.

  9. It is very unfortunate that some scientists/investors does not understand the evilness of Woyane. “SELESEW SIWERA LENE BILEN SIMA”. SEYE realized that there is injustice in Ethiopia after he languished in KALITI for six years, he could have understood from the suffering of others well ahead of time.
    Our scientist/investor should have learned from other business people who killed themselves but unfortunately he thought that he is immune of Woyane state terror.

  11. Elias,
    Thank you for the information. Please do allow me to say a few things. DO not blame Bruke for all things that happened. Place the blame who presented himself as lamb to be sacrificed. How commit oneself into any contarct with members of the tribe in power? The very fact that someone is Oromo, Amhara is just enough to be thrown into jail these days. If you are a successful Amhara or Oromo, you can be killed for doing the right.

    Remember the famous pilot the brave Tigrean Weyanes killed in 2005 and blamed it on car accident? The moment I heard about the story I said who is to blame? How could he hope to work with the TPLF? How could he put himself in the service of TPLF?

    I am just ashamed of the likes of Admasu Gebre. I do not pity him.

  12. SELESEW SIWERA LENE BILEH SIMA!
    [#9 koster]
    -that sums it up!
    -no one is “the mad dogs woyane atrocities proof”
    if we don’t realize this quickly and be wise each of us will share our share of this atrocities.I think most people’s goal is, due to the level of poverty they have been through fueled by greed, to loot what ever they get and may be planning to runaway from woyane.But the fact is, after they immerse themselves in to such business, they are likely to involve in criminal activities hence fall in to woyane traps-that is exactly what woyanes want.Many of their(woyane) supporters have no much choice because have made them criminals manipulating their greed for wealth. Every one of us want wealthy but being manipulated by criminals like woyane gangs is some thing else

  14. This investigative news must be distributed to human rights watch and amnesty international and other humaniterian organization to look into it. For those of us it is now clear that the businness enviroment in ethiopia became unfair and can not work. The justice system and Government of ethiopia must answer for the facts involved in this case. was justice delivered based on Ethnic connection and political motives ? was the crime to big to put an inividual to a prison cell for 2 years?

  15. Wey gud. Imagine, if this Bruke guy did not pursue against Admasu, Admasu would have continued to do business with Weyane. I know, some of us who are well off in the West really want to contribute to our country and Admasu was anxious to do that. He miscalculated though. The more famous he becomes he will be targeted by Weyane especially if he is not Tigre. So, Admasu should have kept low profile in order to protect himself and his asset and slowly contribute to Ethiopia. Besides knowing Bruke is connected to Weyanes, Admasu at some point should have let it go or seek reconciliation instead of persisting and keeping going after Bruke. Now he is paying the price. It is for sure, Weyanes first open their arms to the diaspora to steal the ideas and money of the diaspora. Once they do that, they accuse them or threaten them on anyhting to put them in jail or so that they leave the country.

    It is high time also, those Weyanes operating and stealing Ethiopia’s money overseas like Bruke, should be targeted. We should expose and target them here or force them to change their mind. Weyanes will not be where they are now if it wasn’t for those working with them for pure greed.

  16. 9/4/2010

    . Press Release
    Rogue Regimes and High Powered Lobbyists

    September 1, 2010
    (Press Statement)

    In the last few years, advocacy for corrupt, dictatorial foreign regimes by high powered Washington D.C. lobbying firms, such as, DLA Piper has become a very lucrative business in the nation’s capital

    Thanks to ProPublica and the Sunshine Foundation, the unholy alliance between DLA Piper and the rogue regime in Ethiopia is no more a secret. It is obvious and results have been verified that when leaders of rogue regimes hire high-powered Washington lobbyists, the voices of the thugs that oppress their people are heard, while the voices of their opponents remain crowded out.

    According to a list Foreign Lobbyist Influence Tracker made public by ProPublica, DLA Piper, Dewey & LeBouef and Mark Saylor Co. made 908 contacts between 2007-2009 with Congressional Staffers on behalf of Zenawi’s regime for the handsome fee of $2.3 million dollars. The well-connected lobby firm, DLA Piper, pocketed the lion share of the fees. In the e-mail and phone contacts, DLA Piper effectively argued to remove the terms ‘political prisoners’ and ‘prisoners of conscience’ from H.R. 2003 the “Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007.” that condemned the Ethiopian regime for detaining opposition activists. Here we see that Zenawi successfully used American taxpayer’s money to defuse charges that his regime has turned increasingly authoritarian.

    Zenawi knows his Washington influence peddlers and DLA Piper knows the value of a steadfast tyrant. As long as Zenawi steals from the Ethiopian people and throws money at them, neither DLA Piper nor Dewey & LeBoeuf seem troubled to do business with a notorious dictator. It is astonishing that while the majority of Ethiopians eke out a living on less than two dollars a day, the regime spends millions of aid money to employ the services of well connected D.C lobbyists. It is very unsettling to learn that Zenawi is using aid money to sway the opinion of American elected officials to make decisions that negatively impact the Ethiopian people.

    For the ethically-challenged lobbyists such as DLA Piper, killing a human rights bill simply for the money is par for the course. But, regardless of what DLA Piper does, Ethiopia’s economic and political decay cannot be hidden from the international community; and no amount of image make-overs to bat down criticism of the atrocious human rights record will cleanse Zenawi’s bloody hands.

    In light of the continuing tragedy in Ethiopia, the U.S. administration and Congress have the moral imperative to end the absurdity that allowed these high powered lobbyists to use American aid money for the poor to fatten their wallets and frustrate the good intentions of the U.S. government and its generous people.

    To millions of poor Ethiopians, it is very troubling to know that their tax money is used to influence the United States Congress. To American taxpayers, it’s even more troubling to know that most of the money paid to DLA Piper is the same fund appropriated by their elected representatives to alleviate poverty in Ethiopia. The Obama Administration has made a strong verbal stance against supporting dictatorships and non-democratic regimes. It is time to match the words with actions.

    On August 5, 2010, Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced S 3757 “Support for Democracy and Human Rights in Ethiopia Act of 2010.” We hope, this time, the Obama administration will not allow its foreign aid money to be squandered on DLA Piper lobbyists to kill yet another human rights bill in the United States Congress

    Some examples of Payments being made to Lobbyists

    Date Firm Amount Purpose
    Various DLA Piper US $1,351,851.25 Fees & Expenses
    2008-01-11 Mark Saylor Co $328,040.18 Consulting fees and expense reimbursement
    2007-12-26 Dewey & LeBoeuf $183,307.48 Professional fees, Office expenses
    2008-01-25 Dewey & LeBoeuf $28,642.50 Professional fees, Office expenses
    2008-02-01 Dewey & LeBoeuf $300,000.00 Professional fees, Office expenses
    2008-01-25 Dewey & LeBoeuf $73,962.30 Professional fees, Office expenses, and travel expenses

    Note: The above table shows only part of the amount of money woyane paid for lobbyists in 2007 and 2008

    Detail list of 908 Contacts made by Lobbyists on behalf of Government of Ethiopia are available at http://www.foreignlobbying.org

    Ginbot 7 Movement for Justice, Freedom and Democracy
    Tel +44 208 133 5670
    Tel +44 203 286 9661
    [email protected]
    http://www.ginbot7.org

  18. First, I have to thank #8 what all you said is true and I believe almost all of it. But guys let us see this particular case.
    look….

    I don’t know how Commander Admasu played fair game here. Let me put aside the political foul game which I don’t see it that much in this case (which the case takes that long makes it not believable).
    So let us see the case first:- Commander Admasu signed a partnership agreement with Bruck who has a company named Bruck Films Plc in Addis Ababa. What is this agreement means? It means Agreement among existing Business which both they have. For this thing they both are the boss. When you make agreement among two or more businesses to restrict competition among themselves are governed by statute or common law or you can say it marriage. One of the most far reaching provisions of the Completion Act is the “conspiracy” section, which makes it an offence, punishable by imprisonment up to 5 years and a fine up to $10 million, to conspire, combine, agree or arrange with another person to lesson completion (this could happen to Commander Admasu what he did to Bruck if it was in North America). “ Admasu tries to fire him from his position as director.” Why who is he, in this case they are both boss. And again he changes the title I think to betrayed Bruck, here it is another crime made by Comander Admasu.
    I think what Comander Admasu made wrong move is by listening those two individual Alula and David. After those guys are hired they may be convince Admasu to give them small share and ditch Bruck. And also Commander Admasu who is the big investor a big fish he think he is going to get away with it and, but got busted. Why I said Alula and David? because those two guys they know Bruck how was he when he was in L.A and undermined, him try to screw him up behind his back and convincing Commander Admasu. I think that is all happen. Like I stated before that between agreements among existing Businesses they both are the boss, they shouldn’t play foul game or if they don’t agree they have to dissolve or forbid the merger. Elias you are smarter than this just refer how agreement works specially the business you will see it.
    Politically wise, well why did it takes that long to use his relative? His uncle looks he is in to the case too. But you said on #17. “This is when Bruke decides to get his powerful uncle, Shaleqa Alemseged, involved. He returns to Addis Ababa to re-launch his court battle against Admasu, this time with the help of Woyanne heavy-hitters.” For me it does make sence, that doesn’t hold the water.
    You mention about the law of Torts on your previous topic it was good if the judge see it as a big fish and a small fish but the judge he saw them equal partner. The judge clearly sees it as negligence, simple as that. Now what will going to happen? Well, the concept of negligence is quite simple: anyone who carelessly causes injury to another should compensate the victim for the damage or injury. Again negligence is very complex and sophisticated body of law, encompassing a wide variety of situation. Any ways I wish they come up with some kinds of agreement for the sake of the country. Let they aside their anger and also be a lesson to many of them. I have heard more cases specially those who have a lot of money scammed or betrayed small people. That small people never win his case or the cases took him all his life without win or lose. This time the way I see it the small guy got jests. Sorry I am a number guy there is more fragment or spelling mistake you could see try to get my point. So long

  19. WOW!!!! I know Bruke!!! He is known as Bruke the crook in Los Angeles. Now I know where the nick name came from. I was told he was living in Ethiopia and doing very well. I guess this is how he lives. Sad that such a useless man can do so much damage. Ahiya besew ager heda nigus negn bila taweralech!

  22. Bruke the Crook is the character dude of the times to whom people open up wide their wallets and legs. He is already a winner and, when all said and done, don’t be surprised if he does not walk away with $10 million in judgment plus some extorted dividends. These characters are attracted to some of us, who walk over-confidently with know-it-all attitude and immerse ourselves in worldly matters.

    “ከዚያ ቀጥሎ ጅቦች ኢትዮጵያን ሊበሉ ከመሃል ከተማ ይሰበሰባሉ: የተሰበሰቡበትን ስይጨርሱ: ድንገት ከምስራቅ ፀሐይ ብቅ ትላለች…”-ፍ/ሰ

    Tequlaw Mannew?

    “Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, who draw sin as with cart ropes, who say: “Let him make haste,
    let him speed his work that we may see it; let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near, and let it come, that we may know it!” Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight! Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right! Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and as dry grass sinks down in the flame, so their root will be as rottenness, and their blossom go up like dust; for they have rejected the law….” –Isaiah

  23. I know Bruke the Crook very well in LA… basically the old man paid for the movie and ended up in jail while Bruke the Crook is cruising in Addis with a big smile hoping to get the rest of old man’s money.

  24. well.. guys you said it all, i am not against him for trying to invest in his country.. but i am not going to shed tears either.. it’s a calculated risk dealing with them…you either make it by shear luck or giving part of your profits for woyanes like crazy.. or you end up, deported, in jail…or dead.

    i only have one question, do they have the right to jail a foreign citizen over such petty charges? or are the Dutch so scared that Meles will close his embassy in Amsterdam too.. that they are not intervening when a their citizen of such significance goes to jail?

  26. #17-Hayal….only one word for you… ignorant..bastard.. an inglorious one!!! how the f@#$ do you ever address a veteran who died for his country… as “he deserves to be shot”? you are sick you know.. people who died for their country… no matter who their bosses were.. no matter what the regime was deserve respect.. its over their blood and effort that you stand now and say you have a country.. which you bleed to death…. guess what.. i hate woyane to the bones… but i still respect brave Ethiopians who fought the ethio-eritean war, even if it was an unnecessary war, and even if it is fought under your useless boss Meles, still they did it for their border and country… so don’t ever..!!! if u have any sense.. disrespect anyone who died for Ethiopia! and yeah i hope you die…and i am sure its not going to be for Ethiopia you useless woyane!

  28. Jambola
    Clearly you have trouble with English language. Don’t try and use big words that you don’t understand and stay away from legal jargon – you sound silly. Keep it simple. If you were building a house you start by hiring an architect and so on. Eventually a you will hire a contractor who has a company of his own. During the process, if the contractor turns out to be wrong for the job or for whatever other reason and you replace him with another contractor, the job does not stop nor does the old contractor have any claim on the house that is being built. This is the same. Admasu buys the script wholly, he contracts Bruke, Bruke is incompetent therefore Admasu gets rid of Bruke, Admasu gets the job completed by others the project moves on etc – simple. What is so difficult to understand. It is clearly a case of injustice and mafia style embezzlement.

  29. #17,
    Obviously, you have no respect for the millions of Ethiopians that have scarified their lives for their country. What you know is loot and kill. You blame the derg, but the fact of the matter is: woyane regime is millions times worse than the derg regime. The only similarities between Mengestu and Meles is that, they both have spilled the blood of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. However, Mengestu never given a single piece of land of Ethiopia to foreigners, and Mengestu never allowed one ethnic group to control the whole Ethiopia and robbed her blind. You are a disgrace, that lack common sense and conscience.

  32. #18,
    Since, I struggle with English language myself, I am not here to judge your spelling or your grammar errors. I am able to understand you very well. However, you are totally one sided and have shown your partiality towards the Woyane looter, and God knows, you’ve tried your best to convince us all that, Admasu’s case was justified. Ethiopians haven’t seen the color of justice for the last 19 yeas, why start now?

  34. There have been many good lessons, but only few learn from it. The lesson is never make a deal with Weyanes. Many business people are cheated by Weyane and the lobbists. Short sighted seemingly business men think that they can do butter if they include the weyanes in their business and make them shareholders without contributing any money ony to safe guard them. If the bisiness becomes lucrative they confesticate it and make it their own.
    Admasu looks one of them. In the first olace why did he make a deal with such a Weyane like Alemseged. Evey one knows about him.

  35. It is understandable for such chaos to happen due to breach of contract. Admassu seemed to be naive and should have spent more time investigating and filtering out the con artists lingering in town. However he had to take actions when he realized that he is dealing with a wanna be film maker but really an incompetent in the business. All he had to do was to avoid the middle man (con artist) and put together the right talents to complete the project. It’s not the first time for similar drama to happen as we have heard that it happens in every sector of businesses. The difference now is that we are in the Internet era and I admire Ethiopian Review to reveal such type of activities and save grief to other aspiring investors.

  36. Abadama#33
    thanks.. it is amazing what is happening in Russia.. and it is exactly what is happening in Ethiopia by this cancer Woyane mafia.. they will destroy Ethiopia and eventually destroy them self.like the man say a shark eating on it self bay bankrupting Ethiopia to it’s core.

  37. One of the commentators by the name of witness knows this guy Brook in L.A. He is known as brook the crook. This tells it all. Russia and Woyane share the same ideology namly, communisim. When former commys turn free marketeers this is what happens. The system was(is) lawless corrupt with no morality and run by Goodless people.

  38. I see this will happen to Sunshine sooon and to the ETETE Restaurant owner Tewale Tengus as she is the delivery women for AZEB MESFIN’s dollar and Jewellery which is imported from Ethiopia to Addis. Their Agent is Genet the Derg’s protocol which is now working as an Agent and carrier of properties from Ethiopia to US for the WOYANNNES!
    Death to Woyane and their collaborators.

  39. የሳጥናኤል ሴራ በአዳም ላይ ተወራ:
    የዲያቢሎስ ሴራ ተመታ በተራ:
    ዓይኑ የታወረ የተኩላ ቁራ:
    በሲኦል ተዘጋ በጨለማው ተራ
    የክፋት የተንኮል መንገዱ ሲጣራ:
    እስከመቼ ተሆናለህ የወሬ ተራ:
    ምን ይውጠን ይሆን በስራው ሲጣራ:
    የመስለብ የመስረቅ ጉዳዮ ሲጣራ:
    እንደምን ይርቃል የሰማዩ ጣራ:
    የአራጣ የዳንቂራ ብድሩ ሲጣራ:
    ማን ይከፍለው ይሆን የሲኦሉን ጣራ:
    ምነው ጠላታችን ይህን ያህል ኮራ:
    ለምንድነው የምትገድለው በፀሐይ ጠራራ:: -ፍ/ሰ

    Amharic Google

  40. “It is obvious that there are judges who consider the independence of the judiciary [system] as a hiding place for unbecoming conduct. ”

    Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said this in reply to a question about the reform of the legal system and its exclusion from the Growth and Transformation Plan, in a discussion of the plan with members of public associations, which was published on September 1, 2010, in the Amharic daily, Addis Zemen.

    Well Mr Prime Minister, seems to me that Bruke, his uncle and the courts are conducting unbecoming behavior. Whac are you doing about it?

  42. I thank ER for breaking such news and exposing woyane and its associates. I have no doubt, given what I have had the opportunity to know first hand what these people are capable of, that Bruke, Shaleqa Alemseged and others of similiar breed do such eveil deed. I hope and pray God, the judge of all, judge them.

    You know such stories should make us all cry for justice.

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