Title Dispute
The 18-karat gold Patek belonging to Selassie was supposed to go on auction in November at Christie’s in the Swiss city but was pulled at the last minute because of what the auction house said was a “dispute of title.” Christie’s didn’t say at the time who the watch’s owner is and won’t now, citing its policy not to name clients if they want to remain private.
Selassie’s family say that “eminent African personality” is Ibrahim Abboud, former president of Sudan, and his family put the watch up for sale with Christie’s. The Selassie heirs reject claims that the watch was given to Abboud as a gesture of thanks for helping the Ethiopian reclaim his throne after a failed 1960 coup.
Nicolas Didisheim, a Geneva lawyer for the Abboud family, said he represents the “legitimate owner of the watch, which has been in the family for decades and was given to my client’s family by the emperor.”
Selassie’s family said the fact the watch’s provenance stayed unknown all this time is suspicious.
African Families
“It’s an insult for an African family that another African country that claims to be a friend and loyal supporter never even called in the last 40 years -- and then showed up at Christie’s with this story that it was an expression of gratitude,” Dereje said. “That’s why we’re saying this is not credible.”
The release of the watch, however, doesn’t mean the fight will end soon or that getting to the bottom of the case will be easy.
Prosecutors said that the lifting of the sequestration order doesn’t mean that no crime took place, but rather that it was difficult to investigate events that occurred more than 40 years ago half a world away.
Once the order is lifted, Selassie’s family will have 30 days to appeal the decision. It is currently exploring all legal options, it said.