Abduljebir Hussien Photo: Social Media
By Mahlet Fasil @MahletFasil
Addis Abeba, August 12/2021 – Abduljebir Hussien, a member of the Oromo Political Prisoners Defense Team and the lawyer of major political figures such as Lidetu Ayalew, Bekele Gerba and Jawar Mohammed was found dead in Adama city yesterday.
A close friend of Abduljebir, Mohamed Jimma told Addis standard that Abdulijeber was found dead at Adama city Bole Sub-City kebele 12, 900 meters from Adama Medical College Hospital between 07:00 and 07:30 PM. According to Mohammed, his body was first taken to Adama Referral Hospital, Mohammed said adding “No visible injury was seen on his body.” The body was later brought to Menelik II Referral Hospital in Addis Abeba for autopsy. .
Mekuriya Dinquu, the Peace and Security head of Adama city administration narrated the event, based on what the people who found him told the police, “He was found dead in Gadaa kebele approximately between 8 and 9 PM last night. He gave them his wife’s number to call her and she told them to give him sugar or candy immediately. His condition improved for a bit.”
He continued explaining the sequence of events, “A bajaj that normally takes him to the hospital whenever he’s sick came to take him to Rift valley hospital, ” Mekuriya said. He explained that AbdulJebir passed away on his way to Adama Referral Hospital, citing the police investigation. He added “There are reports that suggest he died at Rift Valley Hospital. We don’t have a conclusive report up until now.” Mekuriya also admitted that he was not able to confirm if a health care professional was in the baja to declare the death of Abdul Jabir. He concluded by saying,” The Physicians at Adama Referral Hospital stated that he did not suffer any injuries, confirmed his death after and referred him to Menelik Hospital for autopsy.”
Mohamed corroborated the Peace and Security head’s statement “People who found him unconscious called his wife. She told them to give him sugar and that she is on her way.. She arrived there and took him to Rift Valley Hospital, she called me and asked me to meet her there.” He continued, “ When we arrived at Rift Valley hospital, we didn’t even get off the Bajaj, we returned to Adama Referral Hospital and the way she told us and the way we understand it, He was dead upon her arrival to the place where he fell in front of Adama Referral Hospital.”
Moahmmed continued,”She also told us that his mobile phone was not in his pocket when she arrived. Abduljebir asked the people who found him to call his wife using a different phone, that’s how she knew his location. But when she arrived there, his belongings including his phone were not with him.” He concluded, “ I know we can’t say exactly at which time he died but he was dead when his wife took him to the hospital.”
When asked about the conflicting narratives circulating on social media surrounding Abdul Jabbar’s death, Gemechu Gutema, a member of Oromo Political Prisoners Defense Team told Addis Standard, “We are not in a position to comment on the nature of his death. We will wait for what the police investigation reveals.”
Abdul Jabbar’s funeral took place this afternoon today. Abdulijeber Hussien is survived by a wife and a daughter. AS
