Addis Abeba — The Tigray Regional State Supreme Court has defended the acquittal of two men previously convicted of brutally murdering Zewdu Haftu, saying the Mekelle City High Court reached its latest verdict after re-examining the case in line with instructions from the Supreme Court's Cassation Bench.
Ethiopia travel guideDiscover moreNews subscription serviceAfricans & DiasporaBusiness news insights In a statement issued on August 12, the Supreme Court's Communication Directorate said the defendants were initially convicted by the Mekelle City High Court and sentenced to terms ranging up to life imprisonment. The Criminal Bench of the Tigray Regional Supreme Court subsequently upheld the convictions.
The defendants later petitioned the Cassation Bench, which, according to the statement, "found points that required further review," reversed the lower courts' rulings and remanded the case to the Mekelle City High Court for reconsideration.
The High Court then re-examined the case, heard both parties, allowed repeated submissions of evidence identified by the Cassation Bench and heard necessary witnesses before acquitting the defendants on August 5, 2026.
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"Based on an independent and impartial re-investigation, the court rendered the verdict it deemed just," the Supreme Court said.
The court did not specify in its statement the evidence that led to the acquittal, which has triggered renewed public outrage and scrutiny of the handling of the case.
Zewdu Haftu, 32, was killed in August 2023 after resisting an attempted sexual assault. She was dragged and fatally crushed under a vehicle, in a case that sparked widespread anger and calls for accountability for gender-based violence in Tigray.
Discover moregovernmentIndependent media supportMedia freedom advocacyPolitical commentary blogBreaking news alertsDemographicsMagazinesPolitical science coursesPolitical imprisonment memoirsAddis Ababa guide The two men, Yared Gebreslase Belay and Angesom Hailemaryiam, had previously received life sentences for their involvement in her killing before the convictions were overturned through the Cassation process.
The acquittal has also intensified concerns previously raised over alleged conflicts of interest and the treatment of witnesses. Public discussion has focused on reports that Yared is the son of Tigray Police Deputy Commissioner Colonel Gebreselassie Belay. A surviving eyewitness, Semhal, was also previously reported to have been removed from hospital care and detained for eight months without charge.
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Following the acquittal, a coalition of nine Tigrayan civic and gender-justice organizations described the decision as "killing her twice" and called for an immediate appeal. The groups also argued that proximity to authority should not provide protection from legal accountability.
Earlier, another coalition of five civic organizations condemned the acquittal and argued that it followed the failure to execute a specific order issued by the Tigray Supreme Court Cassation Bench to produce the original digital evidence held by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), verify it, and have a qualified expert explain it to the court.
Discover morePoliticsSocial affairs analysisPolitical The Supreme Court, however, criticized what it called the use of social media to attack judicial institutions instead of pursuing formal legal remedies.
"When dissatisfaction arises regarding court rulings, individuals misuse social media to voice unconstructive opinions against these institutions instead of following due legal appeal process and seeking justice," the court said, warning that such criticism places undue pressure on appellate courts.
It said anyone dissatisfied with the latest ruling can appeal through the legally prescribed process and that "constructive feedback provided in a civilized manner is welcome."
The court said it would issue a formal statement to the media once the case reaches its final resolution.
The Supreme Court also reiterated that cases can proceed through the regional judicial system from Woreda Courts to the Supreme Court's Cassation Bench and, where applicable, to the Tigray Constitutional Interpretation Commission.
