Tamirat Layne (born 1955) is an Ethiopian political figure. During the 1980s, he was an important leader in the fight against Ethiopian dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam and when Mengistu was overthrown in 1991, Layne became acting Prime Minister and defense minister. Layne served as prime minister from June 6 1991 until August 22, 1995 when President Meles Zenawi became prime minister. Layne became deputy prime minister and remained defense minister until October 1996, when he was sacked from both positions. Zenawi claimed that Layne had fallen prey to the comfort of city life. In 1997 Layne was arrested on corruption charges. He later complained that the conditions of his imprisonment were inhumane. In 2000 he was sentenced to 18 years in prison. The charges against him included embezzlement, illegally exporting textiles and coffee, and fraudulently obtaining a construction contract. He still remains in jail, as of November 2004.