Man Accused Of Murder Takes Stand In His Own Defence

A man accused of second-degree murder tied to a 2023 homicide in Brooks took the stand in his own  defence Monday at Medicine Hat Court of King’s  Bench.

Abune Getahun, 45, is facing allegations in connection with the death of Tesfahiwot Haile, 41, in July 2023 outside the apartment of the accused above the Blue Nile Shisha Bar in Brooks.

Primarily testifying through an Amharic translator, Getahun described multiple run-ins with Haile during the lead up to July 23, 2023 when the accused told the court he struck Haile a single time in the forehead with an aluminum baseball bat around 5 pm. Haile died three days later in hospital from that injury.

Getahun told the court about Haile attending a get-together he hosted at his Brooks apartment a number of months prior to the 2023 incident with mutual friends. He testified to Haile being kicked out of that function following an altercation with a woman which eventually led to police being called. That was followed by Haile showing up outside his apartment window the next day, which again led to police being called, testified Getahun.

Getahun testified the two made peace with each other roughly around the time the accused man moved to the apartment above the Blue Nile Shisha Bar and the two would drink and do cocaine together.

But that peace only lasted for about two months and near the end of June 2023, Getahun testified to issues escalating between the two men.

During an incident in early July, Getahun testified to being punched in the back of the head by Haile at the Blue Nile and - with police already at the establishment - RCMP arrested the now deceased man.

Getahun testified that on the early evening of July 23, 2023, Haile tried to push his way into the man’s apartment and was pushed back, eventually leading to the accused man grabbing the bat and striking the now deceased man in the head.

He testified to Haile making threatening remarks during the lead up to the man being struck. 

But once he was, Getahun testified that he left the building, called 911 and tossed the bat over the fence of a nearby automotive garage.

Getahun testified that the door to his apartment had been damaged weeks earlier when police broke into his apartment following a stabbing in the hallway of the building.He added he was taken into custody at that time, released when the stabbing victim identified his assailant. 

Getahun told the court police said they would fix the door, then that he needed to get it fixed and submit a receipt to Mounties but he couldn’t afford the up front cost, replacing the door with an ill-fitting one found in the building’s storage area.

Shortly following Mounties arriving at the scene on July 23, Getahun told the court he was arrested outside a nearby convenience store where he had just bought cigarettes. Following a brief detainment, Getahun testified to being released, returning to his home but being confronted by two people he identified as being associates of Haile. 

That encounter led to Getahun being beaten, resulting in a head injury as well as a broken arm and ribs which required a two-week hospital stay. The man testified that bloody clothing found by police days after the homicide were caused from that assault.

“I still have horrible nightmares,” testified Getahun in heavily accented English about the incident. “It was terrifying what was happening. . .I wish things could have been different. . .I wish he didn’t come over.”

But under cross-examination by Crown Brian Shantz, Getahun’s earlier testimony he feared Haile was questioned.

Earlier on the day Haile received  injuries that would eventually lead to his death, Getahun testified to an encounter between the two caught on security footage outside the commercial, apartment complex.

Getahun had been speaking to two men in a red mini-van when Haile approached on a bicycle. The discussion between the two appeared animated with the accused man testifying to not wanting anything to do with the soon-to-be homicide victim.

Shantz questioned if Getahun was frightened by Haile, why wouldn’t he just go inside his apartment. Getahun testified it was outside, there were two other individuals there and he was in fact frightened but didn’t show the emotion.

Shantz questioned Getahun’s past military experience which included flying helicopters and whether he had received any hand-to-hand combat or martial arts training.

Getahun responded he hadn’t.

The Crown also questioned Getahun’s past drug use, especially the early morning leading up to the homicide in which the accused man testified to being up until 8:30 am after consuming cocaine and alcohol.

Additionally, Shantz questioned what exactly Getahun was doing the multiple times he came in and out of the building complex, especially in one instance where he was seen on security footage holding a baseball bat.

Getahun testified that he couldn’t remember.

The Crown’s cross-examination is expected to continue on Tuesday at Medicine Hat Court of King’s Bench.