ETHIOPIA. ARMY MAJOR EXECUTED FOR MURDERING SPY BOSS

August 6, 2007: Tsehaye Woldeselassie, an army major, was executed in Ethiopia for murdering Kinfe Gebremedhin, the head of the intelligence and security services, six years ago. Death sentences are extremely rare in Ethiopia and this is only the second execution carried out since the present government came to power. The authorities did not say how Tsehaye was killed but executions are carried out by firing squad under Ethiopian law.
It remains unclear whether the killing had a political or personal motive. Sources in Addis Ababa say that at the time of the assassination, speculation was rife about the motive. It was a time of tension within the TPLF party, with some members unhappy about the outcome of the war against Eritrea and bitter divisions inside the politburo of which Kinfe Gebremedhin was a member. (Sources: BBC, 07/08/2007)