SHASHEMENE, Ethiopia — In a snap ruling that surprised local Christians, an Ethiopian court has sentenced three Muslim men to life imprisonment for a deadly machete attack on two churches in March. At the initial hearing March 26, the West Arsi Zone Higher Court handed down four sentences — life in prison for three attackers and a three-month suspended sentence for an accomplice — for the March 2 assault in south Ethiopia that killed one and injured 17.
The victims’ families said they had been told the hearing would take place April 25 and only learned of the sentencing after their right to appeal had expired. Of another 17 people initially arrested for the attack, six remain in prison while the rest have reportedly been set free. Local Christians said they have been refused information regarding whether these people will be tried.
Three local Muslim officials arrested on suspicion of involvement in the attack are now back in their government positions even as a separate investigation against them continues, local Christians said. One of these officials, Hussein Beriso, had made public comments against Christians and warned Muslims to resist efforts to persuade them to leave Islam.
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