A high court in the Hadiya Zone of the Central Ethiopia Regional State has handed down a death sentence to a man found guilty of the brutal murder of his mother and sister. The ruling, delivered by the Shone Division of the Hadiya Zone High Court, follows a criminal investigation into an incident that has shocked the local community in the West Badawacho Woreda. Officials confirmed that the severity of the sentence reflects the particularly cruel nature of the crimes committed.
The perpetrator, identified as Senbeto Mengesha, was a former member of the Ethiopian national defense forces who had reportedly deserted his post before the incident occurred. According to Inspector Dessalegn Damena, the West Badawacho Woreda Police Crime Investigation Coordinator, the attack took place on January 17, 2026 , in Gerbo Kebele. Investigators noted that there was no prior dispute or apparent provocation leading up to the violent encounter, which occurred inside the family’s residence.
Details provided by law enforcement indicate that Mengesha locked the doors of the home from the inside before attacking his victims with a bayonet. The investigation revealed that his mother suffered multiple fatal wounds to her neck, abdomen, and back. When his younger sister attempted to scream for help after witnessing the assault, Mengesha turned the weapon on her, inflicting repeated stabbings to her chest and back that resulted in her immediate death.
Following the incident, local police, in collaboration with community members, apprehended Mengesha and brought him into custody. During the trial, the prosecution presented a comprehensive case that included forensic autopsy reports, eyewitness testimonies, and a formal confession previously given by the defendant to the lower district court. Deputy Commander Taju Negash, head of the regional police media department, confirmed that the evidence underscored a premeditated and exceptionally violent execution of the crimes.
In its final deliberation, the Shone Division Bench evaluated the case under Article 539(1-a) of the 2004 Criminal Code of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, which pertains to aggravated homicide. The presiding judges noted that the level of cruelty displayed—specifically the mutilation of the victims—warranted the maximum legal penalty. The court’s decision to impose the death penalty was unanimous, citing the need for justice in the face of such extreme domestic violence.
Legal representatives and police officials, including Prosecutor Gizachew Tadesse, emphasized that the judicial process was handled with administrative rigor to ensure all evidence was verified. The sentencing marks the conclusion of a high-profile case that has drawn significant attention to the West Badawacho district. While the death penalty remains a legal provision in Ethiopia for aggravated crimes, its application is reserved for cases deemed to have reached the highest threshold of malice and brutality.