Article 458 — Betrayal of Interests.

(1) Any advocate, attorney, procurator or legal advisor, who knowingly, in litigation of any kind before any judicial or quasi- judicial tribunal, betrays the legal interests he has been instructed to defend, officially or by personal brief, whether by sacrificing the interests of the party for whom he appears or by acting simultaneously for both parties to the same case, is punishable with simple imprisonment and fine. (2) Where the accused person has acted in concert with the opposing party, simple imprisonment shall be for not less than one year; where he has acted for gain, or to procure material advantage, the fine shall not exceed one hundred thousand Birr. Where the crime is to the prejudice of a person charged with a crime punishable with death or rigorous imprisonment for life, the punishment shall be rigorous imprisonment not exceeding ten years. (3) Where the crime specified under sub-article (1) is committed negligently, the punishment shall be simple imprisonment not exceeding three months, or fine not exceeding five thousand Birr.