Bereket Worku — widely known as “Bereket the Farmer” — had left for Ireland with her Irish husband and their two daughters even as authorities were searching for her. During a TikTok Live broadcast on Sunday evening, she said she was back in Dublin and declared that she had no intention of surrendering to the police, accusing them of disregarding court rulings and undermining the justice system.

“I am a mother and responsible for my children. Why would I hand myself over to the police or get involved in a confrontation? I don’t care about my property—I would rather let it all go than deal with this,” she told TikToker Fraol Eticha.

Bereket added that even Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had previously stated in parliament that the justice system is corrupt. “The justice system the prime minister himself does not trust—why should it be used against me, like rats used to test new medicine?” she asked.

Last week, federal police issued a wanted notice featuring her photograph alongside those of three other suspects allegedly linked to illegal gold exploration activities and an illicit fuel-smuggling network. Authorities also appealed to the public for information on their whereabouts

During her interview, Bereket accused several activists who had campaigned against her, including Awenta Bersisa, whom she claimed previously worked at Oromia Bank and was fired after allegedly stealing money. She further alleged that he is making online posts targeting her in an attempt to extort money.
Awenta Bersisa, among others, accused Berket of engaging in human trafficking and of transporting Eritreans who are in the country illegally to Kenya. She, however, said that she and her tour company have the right to transport Eritreans, as they are not designated terrorists. However, she did not address whether she helped them obtain false documents.

Her Irish husband, interviewed on the live show and referred to as Nathan, (though records indicate his name is Jonathan Pim) also said it has been a very difficult time. “Bereket has done so many things. For me, as a foreign person within the country, the most difficult part was knowing where to go, who to ask for help,” he said. He added that Bereket is “everything” to him: “She is able to communicate and deal with everything, but when she is not around, who do I go to, who do I ask for help? That was my challenge,” he said. “We are resilient people; we can pick ourselves up, shake it off, and continue. No hard feelings—we need to move on,” he said.