Merera Gudina was asked to plead guilty but he said he is not guilty
borkena, Ethiopian News
October 15,2017
Photo source : VOA Amharic
Merara Gudina was in court for a hearing. Through his lawyers, he petitioned that the identities of the witnesses against him should not be withheld as it contravenes the constitution. The constitution stipulates (under article 20) that defendants have the right to examine witnesses testifying against them.
The case was referred to the House of the Federation and Merera Gudina’s appearance today was to hear the decision.
As it turns out, House of the Federation decided against Merera Gudina under the provision of protecting the witness.
The court adjourned the case for November 3, 2017. Merera was asked if he pleads guilty to the charge to which he replied no.
He is represented by Wondimu Ibssa.
The release of Merera Gudina and other Oromo political leaders in among the demands in ongoing popular protests across town in Oromo region of Ethiopia.
Merera Gudina is chairman of the ethnic-based party Oromo Federalist Congress and was arrested in November 2016, soon after a state of emergency was declared, as he entered Ethiopia from a working visit to Europe.
He had an academic tenure at Addis Ababa University as political science professor for over twenty-five years but was dismissed a few years ago for an apparent political reason.
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