The Hawassa City High Court in southern Ethiopia has sentenced the former head of the Sidama Region Peace and Security Bureau, Alemayehu Timotheos, to over 10 years in prison. The court also handed down a prison term to former police commissioner Shimelis Thomas, following legal proceedings initiated by the Sidama Region Justice Bureau.
According to statements released by the regional justice bureau, the rulings address charges involving official misconduct and human rights violations. The court reviewed both documentary and witness evidence presented by prosecutors during the proceedings before arriving at its verdict.
The court determined that the former officials abused their official authority to organize an armed group known as the Sidama Liberation Army (SLA). Judicial findings established that this action led to multiple human rights abuses across the region during their tenure.
During the court session held on July 27, 2026 (Hamle 20, 2018 E.C.), the court sentenced first defendant Alemayehu Timotheos to 10 years and 5 months of rigorous imprisonment, alongside a fine of 4,000 Ethiopian birr. Second defendant Shimelis Thomas received a sentence of 1 year and 6 months of rigorous imprisonment, accompanied by a 1,000 Ethiopian birr fine.
The legal proceedings were concluded after the court verified the prosecutor’s claims regarding official misconduct. Information regarding the verdicts was publicly shared through official communications from the regional justice bureau.
#Ethiopia #SidamaRegion #Hawassa #Justice #LegalNews