Ethiopia: Mutineers sentenced from 5 to 14 years in prison

An Ethiopian military court sentenced 66 soldiers from five to fourteen years in prison. These are the mutineers who rallied on the residence of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last October.

The government said the soldiers were demanding a pay raise, but the Ethiopian prime minister later revealed that they wanted to kill him.

“These sentences today will serve as lessons,” Cap Hailemariam Mamo prosecutor told reporters.

Counsel for the accused said, he would appeal for some of the soldiers in the group, he was defending. An accused was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while 65 others were sentenced between 5 and 13 years in prison for “violating military ethics,” said Colonel Meshesha Areda, chief executive officer. military courts, quoted Reuters news agency.

The 66 were among the 200 soldiers in ceremonial dress and Red Berets who went to the Prime Minister’s office in Addis Ababa, the capital, as part of a march.