I am robbed my house in a broad day light - Ms. Zewde Weldebariam

Tigrai Online December 11, 2014

We read an Amharic article this morning that hits you right in the guts. The article is published in the Reporter, it is an interview with a 70 years old Ms. Zewde Weldemariam who says a great injustice had happen to her and she is now a homeless.

We didn’t translate the whole article to English, but we want to address some issue based on the case.

The case is between Ms. Zewde Weldemariam an elderly Ethiopian mother and Ms. Almaz Tessema an Eritrean woman who lives in Italy.

Zewde Weldemariam bought a house in 2001(Ethiopian calendar) from Ms. Tsige Teshome for 1.7 million Ethiopian Birr. According to the article Ms. Zewde went above and beyond to make sure the house she was buying was owned by the seller. All relevant government departments approved the house was owned by the seller Ms. Tsige Teshome.

After six years living in the house with her children, Ms. Zewde is hit by a lawsuit claiming the house was sold to an Eritrean woman by the name of Almaz Tessema in 1985. Almaz Tessma’s representatives showed that she had paid 88 thousand Ethiopian Birr down payment and she owed another 60 thousand 20 years ago for the house. Ms. Tsige Teshome admits the house was supposed to be sold to the Eritrean woman but she disappeared without paying the remaining 60 thousand Birr. Ms. Tisge went to court and received judgment against Ms. Almaz Tessma and the house was legally free to be sold.

There are many questions to be answered about this case. Almaz Tessema the Eritrean woman claims she bought the house in 1997 (Ethiopian calendar) or 1995 European calendar. Eritreans voted 99% to become an independent country in May 24, 1993. Under what legal frame work did Almaz Tessema the Eritrean woman was allowed to by a house in Addis Ababa? If she didn’t vote to become Eritrean then she is not Eritrean, but Ethiopian and her court papers shouldn’t be filed under Eritrean. If she voted why was she allowed to buy a house in Ethiopia?

If Almaz Tessema paid 88 thousand Birr 20 years ago, Tsige Teshome should reimburse her money back but she should not have any claim to the house after 20 years and a court judgment. According to Tsige Teshome the sell was not completed because she didn’t pay the remaining amount. Then Tsige Teshome went to court and won making the sell of the house null and void.

The 70 years old mother should not be evicted from her house which she legally owned for six years because an Eritrean woman who lives in Italy claims she owns the house. Something is not right about this case.

You can read the Amharic article on reporter