A woman in Addis Ababa has been sentenced to the death after being found guilty of killing two children in cold blood.
Federal High Court on Monday passed the capital punishment on the woman named Hiwot Mekonnen who took the life of the two children inside a house where she was working as a maid.
The crime happened on September 1, 2022, inside a house located near the Arabssa Condominium area of Addis Ababa.
Federal prosecutors charged Mekonnen with first-degree murder and intentionally destroying documents from the family of the victims on September 25, 2022.
The defendant denied both charges and pleaded not guilty.
After hearing witnesses and evidence, the court found Mekonnen guilty of both charges and ordered her to defend herself.
She, however, chose not to do so.
On Monday, the Federal High court heard the final arguments of the prosecutors who sought maximum punishment as well as the defendant’s plea for a reduced sentence.
The court finally sentenced her to capital punishment on both charges, stating the ruling would serve as a stern warning for others, according to a statement by the Justice ministry.
The judge ordered for the convict to be kept in the Kality Correctional facility until the execution of the ruling.
According to Ethiopian law, the capital punishment would be exercised with the approval of Sahelework Zewdie, the country’s president.
MG/as/APA