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Addis Ababa – The 42 defendants in Abreha Tekeste’s file appeared in the federal court of first instance, Arada Bench. Senior TPLF officials, including veteran TPLF members Sebhat Nega, Kidusan Nega, Ambassador Abadi Zemu and others, were arraigned in court today to hear the court’s decision on the requests they made at their hearings. previous. The court rejected requests to stand trial in a Tigray region court and replace the judge presiding over the case. However, the court granted one of the requests which was to change locations to allow safer accommodation for all attendees.
At the last hearing, the defendants requested the replacement of the judge, arguing that he could be influenced by having been following the preliminary inquiries during the last 4 months of the trial. It was decided that the defendants will file a complaint with another judge at the last hearing. The request was presented today to another judge where the new judge denied the request. The substitute judge explained to the defendants that the presiding judge who is following their case is not influenced and ruled that he is still the presiding judge. The defendants’ request to be tried in a court in the Tigray region was rejected due to the developing security situation in the region. The court reminded the defendants that their case is a federal case and is under the jurisdiction of the federal courts.
However, the defendants’ request for a change of venue was granted to make it the Federal Superior Court of Lideta, which presents the argument that said change would allow safer accommodation for all those attending their hearing and will implement the measures prevention of Covid-19. The request was reviewed and the judge ruled in favor of the defendants, but limited the change of venue to a larger room in the facilities of the Federal Court of First Instance, Arada Bench.
The court ruled today that prosecutors will present their witnesses and hearings proceed as scheduled now that the issue of replacing the judge has been resolved. Another request from the defense team to reveal the names of the witnesses was also rejected. The court ruled in favor of the prosecutor, who argued that revealing the identity of the witnesses represents a threat to their safety. The testimonies of half of the 50 prosecutors’ witnesses will be heard behind closed doors on April 7, 2021. AS
