US embassy cables | Eritrean regime’s ‘money man’ banks in Malta

A US embassy cable from ambassador Ronald McMullen in Asmara, Eritrea reports that Hagos Ghebrehiwot, the Eritrean regime’s “money-man”, was relieved from overseeing the government’s economic interests, “including its financial accounts in Malta”.

Hagos is suspected for pocketing money from a large order of sorghum and flour from Sudan several months ago. The order, paid for by the Border Control – an unofficial conglomerate of Eritrean military officials, led by General Manjos – was supposed to be sold to designated Hidri stores, owned and operated by People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), Eritrea’s sole political party.

The order apparently never arrived at the stores.

PFDJ officials suspect Hagos sold the order instead to private businessmen and pocketed the money.