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Tesfaye Boresa Senbeta Thesis WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS AND THE QUEST FOR REMEDIES UNDER THE ETHIOPIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM By: Tesfaye Boresa Senbeta Advisor: Dejene Girma Janka (Ph.D) A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES OF ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF LAWS /LL.M/ IN HUMAN RIGHTS LAW STREAM JUNE 30, 2015 ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA WRONGFUL CONIVICTIONS AND THE QUEST FOR REMEDIES UNDER THE ETHIOPIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM By: Tesfaye Boresa Senbeta Advisor: Dejene Girma Janka (Ph.D) A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES OF ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF LAWS /LL.M/ IN HUMAN RIGHTS LAW STREAM Addis Ababa University College of Graduate Studies Law and Governance Studies 2015 Addis Ababa Declaration I hereby declare that “Wrongful Convictions and the Quest for Remedies under the Ethiopian Criminal Justice System” is my own original work which has not been presented for any degree in any university and the sources used have been duly acknowledged and cited. Tesfaye Boresa Senbeta Signed___________ Approval Sheet by the Board of Examiners Wrongful convictions and the Quest for Remedies under the Ethiopian Criminal Justice System Approved by Board of Examiners Advisor Signature Date Examiner Signature Date Examiner Signature Date 2015 Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Table of Contents Topic Page Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................................. vii ACRONYMS ..................................................................................................................................... viii Abstract ................................................................................................................................................ ix INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1. Background .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Literature Reviews ................................................................................................................ 3 1.3. Statements of the Problem.................................................................................................... 4 1.4. Objectives of the Study ........................................................................................................ 5 1.5 Research Questions ............................................................................................................... 6 1.6 Methodology ......................................................................................................................... 6 1.7 Significance of the Study ...................................................................................................... 7 1.8 Scope of the Study................................................................................................................. 7 1.9. Limitations ........................................................................................................................... 8 1.10 Ethical Values ..................................................................................................................... 8 1.1 Organization of the Paper ...................................................................................................... 8 OVERVIEW OF WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS ........................................................................... 10 2.1 Understanding the Concept ................................................................................................. 10 2.1.1. Meaning ....................................................................................................................... 10 2.1.2. Evolution of the Concept ............................................................................................. 12 2.1.3. Nature and Prevalence ................................................................................................. 14 2.1.3. Causes of Wrongful Convictions ................................................................................. 16 2.1.4. The Impacts of Wrongful Convictions ........................................................................ 21 i 2.1.4.1. Individual Rights and Freedoms .............................................................................. 22 2.1.4.2. Public Safety ............................................................................................................. 23 2.1.4.3. Public Confidence on the Criminal Justice System ................................................ 24 2.2 International Legal Framework on Review of Wrongful Convictions ............................... 25 2.2.1. Review of Criminal Conviction on Grounds of Newly Discovered Facts .................. 27 2.2.2. Foreign Experiences of Post- Conviction Review Mechanisms ................................. 32 2.2.2.1. Canadian Post-Conviction Review System ............................................................. 33 2.2.2.2. Post- Conviction Review in United Kingdom ........................................................ 35 2.2.2.3. Post-Conviction Review Mechanism in USA ........................................................ 36 2.2.2.4. France ........................................................................................................................ 39 2.2.2.5. Germany .................................................................................................................... 40 2.3. International Legal Framework on Right to Compensation for Wrongful Convictions .... 42 2.3.1 Theoretical Justifications for the Right to Compensations ........................................... 42 2.3.2. International Standards on the Right to Compensation for Wrongful Convictions. ... 43 2.3.3. Regional Standards on the Right to Compensations for Wrongful Convictions ......... 45 2.3.4 Legal Framework on Selected Jurisdictions ................................................................. 47 CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................................ 51 SAFEGUARDS AGAINST WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS UNDER THE ETHIOPIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ...................................................................................................... 51 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 51 3.2 General Overview of the Ethiopian Criminal Justice System ............................................. 52 3.3 Human Rights Obligations of Ethiopian Criminal Justice Organs ..................................... 55 3.4 The Ethiopian Criminal Justice Model................................................................................ 58 3.5 Safeguards against Right to Life and Liberty in Ethiopia ................................................... 62 3.5.1. Rights of Persons Arrested, Accused and Convicted of crime in Ethiopia ................. 63 ii 3.5.1.1. Presumption of Innocence ........................................................................................ 65 3.5.1.2. Indigent Legal Representations in Ethiopia ............................................................ 67 3.5.1.3. Standard of Burden of criminal proof in Ethiopia .................................................. 70 CHAPTER FOUR .................................................................................................................. 74 CASE STUDIES OF WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS IN THE ETHIOPIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ............................................................................................................................ 74 4.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 74 4.2. Wrongful Convictions in Ethiopia: Analysis of Selected Cases ........................................ 75 4.2.1 Shume Regessa Heyi vs. Federal Public Prosecutor ................................................... 75 4.2.2 Undil Shiferew vs Benchi Maji Zone Public Prosecutor ............................................. 79 4.2.3 Debela Taye et.al; vs. Oromia Public Prosecutor ........................................................ 81 4.2.4 Mengesha Tilahun et. al vs Oromia Public Prosecutor ................................................ 84 4.2.5 Nugusu Tegelu Fereja vs. The then Ethiopian Public Prosecutor ............................... 87 CHAPTER FIVE ................................................................................................................................ 90 POST- CONVICTION REMEDIES FOR WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS UNDER THE ETHIOPIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ............................................................................... 90 5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 90 5.2 Review of Final Criminal Judgments in Ethiopia ............................................................. 91 5.3 The Practice of Correcting Wrongful Convictions in Ethiopia ........................................... 95 5.3.1 Appropriateness of Pardon as Remedy for Wrongful Convictions .............................. 98 5.3.2 Recent Trends on Review of Wrongful Convictions
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