Individuals jailed in Oromia for using a healthy child for begging

Four individuals have been sentenced to prison in Nageellee Borana, Oromia, for exploiting a healthy 10-year-old child to solicit money by feigning illness. The group, originating from the Amhara region, traveled through Shashemene, Adola, Shakiso, and Nageellee Borana, using a fake medical report and a wheelchair to claim the child had heart and nerve conditions. The scam was exposed when medical staff at Nageellee Borana Hospital offered to treat the child, prompting the group to flee. Following a trial, the court sentenced the individuals, including the child's mother and relatives, to prison terms ranging from 8 years and 4 months to 9 years and 8 months, along with fines.