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04 April, 2008
A/A, April 4, 2008 (Addis Ababa) - The Federal High Court on Friday passed down sentences ranging from death penalties to 19 years in jail on 19 genocide convicts while having deferred the sentence of one convict who is standing trial at an appeal court.
Five of the convicts have been sentenced to death, five of them to life, another five to 25 years and the other four to 19 years in jail.
Accordingly, Colonel Mengesha Hunde, Captain Tedesse Agonafir, Colonel Alemayehu Esatu, Major Markos Solomon and Major Getahun Kassa, all tried in absentia, have been sentenced to death.
The relevant Bench of the court also sentenced Captain Aboneh Negash, Captain Mesfin Mengistu, Captain Getachew Mengesha, Captain Zenebe Asfaw and Lieutenant Colonel Tilahun Bogale each to life in prison. These of convicts were also tried in absentia.
Lieutenant Jelcha Derra, Captain Dereje Abdissa, Captain Assefa Tegegn, Major Wondwosen Bekele and Lieutenant Colonel Yeshitla Mersha have been sentenced to 25 years in jail.
In a related development, of the five convicts who were tried in their presence, Colonel Berhanemeskel Haile received a sentence of 25 years reduced from a previous death sentence, Colonel Girma to 20 years from life, Colonel Solomon Kebede and Captain Kifle Wube to 19 years from 25 years.
The case of Captain Legesse Asfaw was deferred because he is standing trial after the special prosecutor and defense lawyers took the case to the Federal Supreme Court on appeal of a verdict passed by the Federal High Court.
Captain Legesse and most of the present convicts were found guilty of ordering the horrendous air raid at an open market day on Sene 15 (June 23) in 1980 E.C. in Hawzen in which thousands of civilians were massacred.