By Joe Michael | Commentary
The Kangaroo court of Ethiopia has delivered yet another unmerited verdict. This time, it is against the most popular singer Teddy Afro, who was falsely, based on the evidence submitted by the prosecutor, accused of a hit and run crime. The singer has been accused of hitting and killing a homeless man and has been imprisoned without a bail for close to a year.
As the trial clearly demonstrated, the prosecutor of the case was unable to prove the crime of the accused without a reasonable doubt. The witness against the accused and the evidence submitted in the trial contradict that the date the reported crime took place and the deceased date of the victim on the hospital death certificate were divergent. Moreover, the accused constitutional rights were violated and some of the evidence that were permitted in the trial were fabricated.
In light of the clear incapability of the prosecutor to prove the accused crimes, the court, with its premeditated plot, gave emphasis to circumstantial evidence, which was false hypothesis submitted by the prosecutor.
The court knows that the accused has neither guilty mind (Mens rea) nor the guilty act (Actus reus) he was falsely accused for was evidently proved. The court knows that the crime was not proved beyond a reasonable doubt. The court also knows that more rigorous test was needed to determine whether the evidence submitted by the prosecutor was sufficient to convict the accused.
It is an apparent fact that Teddy’s trial was influenced by politics as he was deprived of his constitutional rights from the very beginning. He was accused and arrested without bail based on fabricated evidence, and now convicted while there is a reasonable doubt. Teddy is known for criticizing the government through his music’s. He was patriot, kind and a loyal citizen. The court had no other cause for the false conviction rather than Teddy’s different political view and patriotism.
What the biased judges did to him, however, is another unambiguous proof that there is no impartial judiciary system in Ethiopia. Obviously, that implies that there is no justice at all.
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FORUM | 7 Comments
Shame on our government and thier attack for people who are in different poltical views. And once again shame on the so called judges whom they live to fill thier stomach than professional ethics. I am proud of Teddy that he could stand and showed his poltical views firmly using his own profession. I am proud of his heroism and his courageous acts starting from his professional journey to show the people his commitement for his country and people.
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December 4th, 2008 at 7:25 AM
Weyane is closing Tedy behined bars for the next election> This shows how deperate weyane is to stay in power by any means>
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December 5th, 2008 at 1:36 AM
Ethiopian’s worst leader of the century, Meles Zenawi, detaining those who are considered threat for the coming years of dictatorship in Eastern Africa!! For sure he will get the fate of Mugabe….
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December 5th, 2008 at 9:01 AM
None of us can be sure what the truth is behind this case. I rather believe that there is a 50% chance he did/did not do what he is convicted of. If he didn’t do it, of course it is those brainless judges to blame most of all. But if has done it and every one else is on Teddy’s side, which one us is going to care for the poor soul of the dead homeless man? Just because he isn’t a popular singer, with lots of money and a car to hit and run with, it doesn’t mean he’s not a human being!! People, let’s start caring for every one, equally!!! The truth shall win someday!
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December 5th, 2008 at 9:56 AM
Dear Mizzfin, do you think that we were saying that Teddy and this poor man should be treated differently because he is a popular singer? No, we are not this much reckless people to think like that. I can at least suggest what should be considered when we develop and implement a new kind of law in a country like Ethiopia, especially in related to traffic acceidents. The road capacity , the amount, the kind and the age of the cars on the road, the transport authorities corruption, the awerness of the people (both the driver and the road users),the density of the people using the road , and so on. And,ofcourse, So many things that a geniune and unbaised proffesional can add upp to it to look in a broader commonsense. These things shouldn’t be the responsibility of the people to carry them with the law. Instead most of them are the responsibility of the gov’t unless and otherwise irresponsible act. They need to work hard on these issues and can impose the hardest law that punishement people to prison for so long. I don’t agree,to that matter,a law should be formulated to take any kind of revenge act for one’s misconduct instead it is to teach him or her how to live in a harmony and peace with his or her environmnet. By the way , i am not giving excuse for tedy if he did it,but what do you think that whose responsibility is this poor brother to be homeless? Can you imagine that he has nothing for several years in his life,even today in millions. Don’t you think that he has been deprived of the right to have basic human needs? What is your stand on this issue? So, should we blame for being an Ethiopian or fight for democracy. Please my dear brother don’t cover it upp, we know well how our gov’t act to attack pepole against. Tedy is not the first and will not be the last, I can asure you. I do think Teddy’s trial was delebrately orchestrated for false accusation.
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December 8th, 2008 at 8:28 AM
We have a dead man here who desereves justice. Who killed him? He is the ultimate victim here. As far as Teddy goes, yes I am proud of him that he was able to have his voice heard in a form of art. My question is, is there a freedome of speach in Ethiopa? if so then the Goverment could not and should not take offence. But if not, like they say “when in Rome…” God Bless Ethiopia
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December 11th, 2008 at 12:39 AM
Woyane ! has made a very ruthless decision on our pop star
and a very determined and true ethiopian singer TEDDY AFRO!
he has done his best exposing woyannes bad dead and an attempt in dissociating our countries unity. teddy tried
to show unity, solidarity, love between people and religion
but those IDIOTS ! made him put in jail by cangaroo court.
i condemn meles ,his ugly mistress azeb and glutton judges
who graduated from civil service college. god ! please i
implore and ask once again to return your face to ethiopia.
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December 16th, 2008 at 7:40 PM