• A group led by Jawar Mohammed prevented the body of the deceased musician to be transported to his hometown, says the Oromia’s police commissioner
• The group also accused of killing an Oromia police officer who had been in the line of duty

The Ethiopian Federal police have confirmed that Jawar Mohammed of the Oromo Federalist Congress is in custody.

Federal police commissioner Endeshaw Tasew has appeared in state media on Tuesday evening to say that 35 people, including prominent politician Jawar Mohammed, have been arrested. He said automatic weapons and communication radios carried by the bodyguards of Jawar have also been seized. Accordingly, 8 firearms, 5 pistols, and nine communication radios have been confiscated from the bodyguards, he said.

Saying that “no one is above the law,” the Federal police commissioner demanded the public to cooperate with police while they are carrying out their tasks of law enforcement.

The Oromia’s police commissioner Ararsa Merdesa on his part said that the group led by Jawar Mohammed has prevented the body of the deceased musician Hachalu Hundessa to be transported to his hometown, Ambo, about 100 km west of Addis Ababa.

While the coffin was on its way from St. Paul’s Hospital in Addis Ababa to Ambo town upon family’s request, the group stopped it at Burayu and brought it to Addis Ababa, the commissioner said.

In addition to that, the coffin was brought into the Oromia Prosperity Party headquarters situated in Addis Ababa’s Stadium area, according to the police commissioner. “Afterwards, they broke down the gates and entered the headquarters and killed an Oromia police officer who had been in the line of duty,” the police commissioner explained. Subsequently, with the help of security forces, the coffin was taken by helicopter to Ambo and the Oromia Police has arrested 35 people in connection with the deadly standoff, the commissioner said.