Dr. Merera faces two charges

Addis Ababa, March 3, 2017 (FBC) – Chairman of the Oromo Federalist Congress, Dr. Merera Gudina, appeared in court today to face two charges for issuing a call for violence which resulted in loss of lives and damages to property in some parts of the Oromia regional state.

According to the charge sheet, Dr. Merera used his leadership and the party to promote his political, religious and ideological aims, to pressurize the government and to ruin the social, political and economic activities of the country.

Utilizing the protest against Addis Ababa master plan as a reason, he incited violence and let his supporters in some cities in the regional state to take part in violent activities in 2006, the charge sheet says.

Last Ethiopian fiscal year (2008), he made road projects to halt, camps to burn and caused damages to vehicles, machineries and properties worth more than 2.9 million birr at Ambo areas, west Shoa zone, it reads.

He was also charged for inciting violence which resulted in damages on properties, residential houses, investments, flower and vegetable farms worth over 59 million birr in various parts of the regional state.

He issued a call for violence appearing at Oromia Media Network TV, claiming that 678 festival goers were killed as a result of the gun fire opened by security officers at the Irreecha festival at Bishoftu on October 4, 2016, it says.

As a result of the call issued for violence, lives were lost, people sustained serious injuries as well as governmental and non-government institutions lost over 215.4 million and more than 1.1 billion birr worth properties, respectively.

He expressed his willingness for the transfer of money raised from some UAE based OLF supporters to Ethiopia via finance head of Oromo Federalist Congress for the purpose of inciting violence, the charge sheet says.

He was also charged for violating the nationwide state of emergency declared last October by having a meeting with Dr Berhanu Nega, leader of the outlawed Ginbot 7, in Brussels, Belgium, on October 11, 2016.

Dr Merera, who appeared at the Federal High Court 19th criminal bench today, requested the court to file objection to the charge. The bench adjourned the case for March 9, 2017 to hear prosecutor’s response for the objection.