The nanny is said to have committed the pedicide to revenge their fathers for reasons that rather sound murky. Criminal Bench of Ethiopian Federal High court sentenced her to death
borkena
Last updated on December 05, 2022 at 7:12 P.M. Toronto Time
Violent crimes have been on the rise in Ethiopia, especially in the past decade or so. But the most common pattern was a politically motivated and ethnic-based killing. Massacres, for instance, happen frequently in the Oromia region of Ethiopia.
Violent killing that is not politically motivated is on the rise, especially in big cities. But who would think a live-in nanny would violently kill two children to avenge their father? It happened in Addis Ababa in August of this year.
Hiwot Mekonnen, now the convict, killed Leonawit and Chrisna – a three and two years old respectively. The death scene was in the Lemi Kura area of Addis Ababa, Ararsa Condominium, block number 151.
Hiwot, the killer, did not even work for two months as an in-house nanny in the home of Meseret Yeshanew (wife) and Melaku Tarekegne (husband).
According to EBC, State Media, police investigation Hiwot Mekonnen used to ask Mr, Melaku to open a convenience store. It is unusual for a live-in nanny in Ethiopia to ask the household that kind of question. The news source (or police) unspecified why she was asking that kind of question.
When Ato Melaku turned her question down pointing out she does not have a right to demand the opening of a convenience store for her, she started to plan revenge action.
According to police, she first thought of killing Ato Melaku himself when he sleeps but she found it risky as he might wake up before she finishes her business and attacks her back.
Because of that, she planned a pedicide knowing the deep love he has for his children.
When Ato Melaku leaves home in the morning around 7:30 in the morning, Hiwot starts to execute the horrifying plan of killing his children. The first victim was Leonawit.
The convict attempted to suffocate the little girl to death with a pillow. It did not work and the murderer has to go get a kitchen knife
Both kids were killed that way, according to EBC.
The murderer did not try to escape. She instead walked to a police station in Lemi Kura to turn herself in and tell police that she had committed a Pedicide. On her way to the police station, she called the father and told him to come home and see his children.
Police investigation also revealed, based on an EBC report, that Hiwot burned all educational and other documents of Meseret Yeshanew and Melaku Tarekegne.
She was facing four counts of charges and the Federal High Court sentenced her to death.
Other local media sources indicated that the convict pleaded to the court for reconsideration of the verdict on grounds that she did not have any criminal records before.
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This is horrible crime on angelic toddlers. It is parents’ worst nightmare. My family’s thoughts and prayers go out to the grieving parents.
Sounds really disturbing crime and unnecessary death of innocent children. RIP.¡ But as gruesome and horrific as this crime is there is a need still more into state of mind of this individual in order lessen the death penalty with long prison sentences . If was she mentaly when comminited the crime or if she was mentally challenged all along, her eduction level and upbringing situations, if there was any relation. however minor, at the time or prior rdd with with and any kind with her employers, .etc. there must be some more digs into this horrible incident There must be civilized way to punis human criminals however repulsive and detestable they are.
Even they didnt mention her age. Why? She looks still young.
what is the matter with you? because you live in western society and have adapted to their way of thinking with murderers does not mean our society has to accept it. Most countries in the world impose the death penalty for murderers because its the only way to get justice to the victims and their families. she killed innocent children in the most horrifying manner and then calls their father to tell him to go home and see his daughters knowing she have killed them already . what kind of evil person do this and does not deserve the death penalty? think in your view and opinion and if this had happened to your own family, i do not think you would have accepted less than the death penalty.
Both of you are correct. She must be punished forever but at the same time we should study her brain capacity to prevent this from happening again. There may have been signs that were missed or maybe it was obvious to begin with. Mental disorders is still something new for us, our country needs more psychiatric centers.
Sounds really disturbing crime and unnecessary death of innocent children. RIP.¡ But as gruesome and horrific as this crime is, there still is a need more into state of mind of this individual in order lessen or mitigate the death penalty with long prison sentences . If was she mentaly fit when comminited the crime or iif she was mentally challenged all along, her eduction level and upbringing situations, if there was any relation. however minor or any kind, at the time or previously with her employers, .etc. there must be some more digs into this horrible incident There must be civilized way to punis human criminals however repulsive and detestable they are. Just saying.
It is a natural outcome in a chaotic country like Ethiopia for crime of all kinds including murder to rise. That is my worries next if and after these politically incited conflicts come to an end. That is the reality we see in other countries that went through bloody conflicts and somehow end it all unprepared what to do with it. Then that was followed by brutal gang groups whose members were former rebel fighters. Unless some radically different steps are taken we gonna see the people of Tigray being robbed, taken for ransom and murdered by battle hardened gangsters every day. The people in Oromia have already been living victimized on daily basis by the former fighters of OLF. These former rebels trained to be killers will not bother to walk all the way to the shores of Tadjoura or Libya to try their lot in the Arabian Peninsula or Europe but they will be content to stay in Tigray and Oromia laying siege on their own people. Just take a peek at El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia and Nicaragua and you will find them being ruled by ruthless gangs who were once members of rebel groups. Their heinous crimes have spilled over to neighboring countries and there is even evidence that it might have traveled all the way to USA and possibly into Canada. There are many such examples in Africa itself. There is a lot to learn from. Once a young and healthy person has the audacity to raise arms and take to the bushes it is going to be natural for him to have the audacity again to avail himself to another type of violence if he just got let go. Let’s hope and pray that this will not be the case.
It is hard to judge as this is one of the worst incidents happened in our life time . The pain that children parent have been through ,the trauma that all mother living with their maid or babysitter have been through will never be reversed as humanity is at stake !