Ato Yohannes Tessema, a member of the regional council who was arrested days after filing a constitutional complaint against two proclamations passed in the Benishangul Gumuz regional state, was found guilty in a case that was dismissed nearly five years ago.

Ato Yohannes was found guilty by the Assosa City High Court on a charge related to the lease of urban land; he faces a prison sentence of seven to 15 years.

Ato Yohannes, a member of the Benishangul Gumuz Regional Council representing the opposition Boro Democratic Party (BDP), was found guilty on Monday, auguset 4, 2025, at a court hearing in the afternoon.

Ato Yohannes was arrested five days after he, along with two other members of parliament, filed a petition with the Constitutional Affairs Inquiry Committee to "enforce" two proclamations that amended the regional constitution, the number of people's representatives, and constituencies.