Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Woyane jails ex-official Benishangul Gumuz region


Addis Ababa - An Ethiopian court on Tuesday sentenced a former regional official to 20 years in jail for supporting rebel groups operating around the country's border with Sudan.

Sebil Albekhit, former vice-president of the Benishangul Gumuz region in western Ethiopia, was jailed along with 23 others by the high court.


President of Benishangul-Gumuz
region
Yaregal Aysheshim

State-run Ethiopian Television said most of them were caught earlier this year while trying to flee to neighbouring Sudan.

The Horn of Africa country's porous frontier with Sudan was in the past home to several Ethiopian rebel groups, mainly in the eastern and southern part of the country, but recent crackdowns by the government have weakened them. - Sapa-AFP

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