ETHIOPIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MAN IN TIGRAY OVER KIDNAPPING AND KILLING OF 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL

December 9, 2024:

One man has been sentenced to death in the Tigray region, Ethiopia, for the kidnapping and killing of a girl, Borkena News reported on December 5, 2024.
The convict has been identified as Awot Negasi.
In the same case, Mekelle Central Court sentenced another suspect, Nahom Fitsum, to life in prison.
Mahlet Teklay, a 16-year-old girl, was kidnapped in March this year while on her way to a language class in Adwa. She had been missing for several days before her death.
Tesfaye Amare, the head of the Adwa City police office, previously told BBC Tigrigna Service that the suspects confessed to killing Mahlet and burying her. Her remains were recovered three months later, after the suspects led authorities to the burial site.
Prior to the killing, the suspects repeatedly contacted Mahlet’s father, demanding a ransom of three million birr.
The incident sparked widespread public outrage across the Tigray region earlier this year. 
According to reports, the prosecutor told Mekelle Central Court that the suspects strangled Mahlet to death. The circumstances of her killing have been described as horrifying.
Awot reportedly called the victim’s father three days after Mahlet was buried, again demanding three million birr, claiming the girl would be returned.
The prosecutor had called for the death sentence for Nahom Fitsum, arguing that he had colluded with Awot. However, the second defendant, Nahom, was sentenced to life in prison.
Teklay Girmay, Mahlet’s father, has reportedly stated that he believes the court’s ruling is “appropriate.” He also called for similar accountability for other crimes of this nature in the region.
Since the end of the war in the region, there have been recurring reports of rape, kidnapping, and murder.
Protests and rallies have been held in various cities throughout the region, condemning these crimes and demanding that the government ensure the safety of women.