Death of Hanna Lalango

Sixteen-year-old Ethiopian school girl Hanna Lalango died on 1 November 2014, succumbing to injuries from a brutal kidnapping and gang rape by five men. Hanna was kidnapped and held captive for several days in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. One of six children, she attended a private high school in the city’s Ayer Tena neighbourhood.^[1]

Incident

On 1 October, Hanna reportedly left school around 4 p.m. local time and got into a local taxi that already had a couple of passengers.

On 11 October 2014, Hanna was found unconscious in an abandoned area in the outskirts of the city, near Qeranyo, and taken to hospital. For the next few days the family took her to various referral hospitals, and waited to be admitted. Among other injuries, Hanna suffered from fistulae and died 19 days after she was found. She reportedly identified three of the five suspects from her hospital bed.^[2]

Arrests and Trial

On 19 November 2014, police brought five suspects before the First Appearance Court in Addis Ababa. During a hearing attended by journalists and women right’s groups, one of the suspects pleaded innocence and all five denied the allegations, telling the court their initial confessions were obtained under duress. The police denied torturing the suspects and asked for 14 days to conduct further investigation.

Reaction

The violence of the attack and the extent of her injuries caused a flood of outrage in Addis Ababa that found expression on social media. The incident and death of Hanna has thrown a spotlight on how cultural attitudes could have facilitated this act of violence.^[3]

References