A former administrator of Gambella sentenced to nine years in prison

ESAT News (April 27, 2016)

Okello Aquay, the former administrator of the Gambella region who was abducted from South Sudan two years ago by operatives of the TPLF regime was sentenced on Wednesday to nine years in prison on trumped up terrorism charges.

Okello was in office in the 2003 genocide against the Anyuak of Gambella perpetrated by the TPLF army. He left his office when coerced by top officials of the TPLF, including the then Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, to blame the killings of the Anyuak on an ethnic conflict with the Nuers.

Okello lived in exile in Norway and was a citizen of that country at the time of his illegal arrest in South Sudan two years ago. A court in Addis Ababa sentenced him and six others seven to nine years in prison.

The charge reads that Okello was responsible for the killing of the Anyuaks and he and the six individuals from Gambella were also accused of trying to secede Gambella from the rest of the federation.

In a hand written letter to the court Okello put the blame back on the TPLF saying the army, with the direct order of the TPLF officials had perpetrated the 2003 genocide.

Okelo also said in the letter that the regime had paid 23 million dollars for his arrest in South Sudan.