Addis Ababa, December 30 (WIC) – The third criminal bench of the Federal High Court today sentenced Fisseha Tadesse, convicted of attempted murder and illegal possession of arms, to 14 years in prison.
Fisseha was charged back in September after stabbing and pocking out both eyes of his former wife Aberash Hailay, a flight attendant at Ethiopian Airlines, causing her to lose both her sight.
The court accepted several mitigating grounds to reach at a sentence of 14 years imprisonment, despite the prosecution’s plea for the death penalty or life imprisonment against Fisseha, who is an HIV positive.
“Absence of criminal records against the defendant, his health, his act of repentance, his willful surrender to authorities and the stage of the crime that culminated in an attempt are acceptable mitigating grounds,” the judge said reading the sentence.
The defendant stood in his dock expressionless as the court also barred him from exercising his political and civil rights for three years.
The court was packed with local media, families and friends of the victim. A small group of relatives of the victim gathered outside the court expressing dissatisfaction with the sentence.
“We honor the court’s sentence,” said Aberash’s uncle filled with emotions. “However forget the death penalty; the least we expected was life imprisonment,” said the uncle. Others also questioned how ‘sentences like these would deter violence against women’.
The sentence was welcomed by lawyer of the defendant. However he maintained decisions whether to appeal the case will be made after consultations with his client.
“The process was a bit difficult, there was public anger and demonstrations that could cause undue pressure on the court,” said defense lawyer Amha Mekonnon. “But the final outcome is good.”
The high profile case caused a huge public outcry and ignited campaigns to stop violence against women in Ethiopia, with many women rights activists joining the cause.
A facebook page calling for ‘Justice for Aberash’ was launched and street demonstrations were held. However, such campaigns faded as the case dragged on for about five months.
Aberash is now abroad receiving medical attention.