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Acid attacker received 20 years in jail

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA – Demissew Zerihun, who attacked 21-year-old Kamilat Mehdi in March 2007 with acid, received a 20-year jail sentence by a superior court in Addis Ababa yesterday. Co-defendant Yacob Haile was released freely.

Ladder that has been there since 19th Century, Church of Holy Sepulchre

Demissew Zerihun sentenced to 20 years in prison

The acid attack, which severely disfigured Kamilat, had shocked Addis Ababa residents. Kamilat is currently in Paris, France undergoing constructive surgery.

A lower court had previously convicted and sentenced Demissew to death and Yared to 20 years in prison.

Upon appeal, the high court ruled that since Demissew did not intend to kill Kamilat, he doesn’t deserve to be punished by death. The high court also ruled that the evidence against co-defendant Yacob Haile, who was charged with assisting Demissew to carry out the attack, was not sufficient to convict him.

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8 thoughts on “Acid attacker received 20 years in jail

  1. If he pleaded guilty, I think 20 years of prison is too small a punishment; he deserves at least lifetime, coz he made her to hate herself her entire life. Apology, lawyers in here as I do not know wha is written in Ethiopia’s wenjelegna mekcha.

    Mesfin

  2. Am glad at list his locked up in prison for 20yrs. I am sure he’ll get a great lesson of his life time. I wonder how Kamila is doing/has her facial apperance is back to normal?

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