Ethiopia's Ousted Ruler Could Be Tried In South Africa

Ethiopia's Ousted Ruler Could Be Tried In South Africa
December 6, 1999 


CAPE TOWN, South Africa (PANA) - Justice Minister Penuell Maduna has asked the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka, to investigate the possibility of charging former Ethiopian dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in a South African court for crimes against humanity. 

Mengistu, who fled to Zimbabwe in May 1991, arrived in the country a month ago and is receiving medical treatment at a Pretoria hospital. 

Maduna's office has referred a letter from the international human rights organisation, Human Rights Watch, calling for Mengistu to be tried in South Africa to the prosecutor's office for consideration. 

Human Rights Watch called on the South African government to press charges against Mengistu under customary international law, saying he may not receive a fair trial in Ethiopia. 

Ethiopia last week said it had officially informed the South African government for Mengistu's extradition to face trial. 

He is being tried in absentia in Ethiopia for crimes against humanity and genocide. 

He is the leading defendant in the trials of 2,000 former officials of his regime that began nearly five years ago. Two men were sentenced to death in absentia in November. 

Between 1974 and 1991 he led a military-Marxist regime which caused the deaths of tens of thousands of Ethiopians. 




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