Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Reuters) – Ethiopia’s best-known pop star, Teddy Afro, was sentenced to six years in jail on Friday for killing a homeless man when driving his BMW in the capital Addis Ababa.
The 31-year-old singer, whose real name is Tewodros Kassahun, was found guilty of manslaughter earlier this week for the death of 18-year-old Degu Yibelte in a hit-and-run incident late last year.
Afro denied the charge and said he was out with friends on the night the man died.
Many Ethiopians believe the charges were politically motivated. Last month’s Great Ethiopian Run — a road race for more than 30,000 people through the capital — was marked by constant shouts from the crowd of “Free Teddy”.
The singer is hugely popular among young Ethiopians and sings mainly in the local Amharic language. Hundreds protested outside the court when Afro’s trial began in April — an unusual event in a country where dissent is extremely rare.
Afro’s last album, Yasteseryal (Redemption), coincided with Ethiopia’s 2005 election that led to violent protests and the jailing of opposition leaders.
Some of his lyrics were construed as critical of the government and his songs were used as protest anthems by opposition supporters who took to the streets.
“This court will not hand out a sentence based on a vendetta but based on fairness and justice,” Judge Leul Gebremariam said before sending Afro to jail and fining him $1,800.
On streets nearby young Ethiopians gathered in small groups to discuss the sentencing.
“All Ethiopians will be sad today,” said Mikias Sisay, a 23-year-old student. “Many people have accidents but are not sent to prison like this. It is because of politics.”
A defiant Afro — wearing his trademark black sunglasses — raised one finger in the air to a smattering of applause from friends and family when he walked from the courtroom.
“I feel free,” he said to reporters as he was led away by police.
Related posts:
* Kangaroo court in Ethiopia convicts Teddy Afro
* There Is No Justice In Ethiopia – The Teddy Afro show trial
* The Ballad of Teddy Afro
* Judge WoldeMikael Meshesha on Teddy Afro's case
* Journalists reporting Teddy Afro's trial in Ethiopia arrested
* Woyanne throws Teddy Afro in jail
* Woyanne court rules against Tedy Afro
* Teddy Afro's lawyer arrested
* Teddy Afro – Another victim of Ethiopia's ruthless dictator
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this is the saddest day of my life..my heart stopped when i heard wat happend..n wat kills me is when i went to ethio over da summer i was gonna go visit him but everythin got too crazy n i ended up not visiting him=-[ diz might retarted but i love him even tho i never met him before but i feel like i already knoe him..man wtf none of diz shit makes no fuckin sense..
why would they do this=-[
December 5th, 2008 at 9:59 PM
TEDDY AFRO! the THE STAR!!! I AM STILL IN SHOCK HERE…
IT HAS NEVER BEEN FAIR!and oh yeah, 'JUSTICE!??" AIN'T EXIST THERE! AM SAD FOR THE YOUNG HERO AND AM SAD FOR ETHIOPIA! AM FEELING TEDDY'S HEART…FEELIN' HELPLESS AND WEAK, DEVASTATED, …..IT IS NOT FAIR!!!
When those who lie are not caught, and ruin citizen's life???? and get away with it????Its not fair @ALL!,
By whose measure shall WE be judge whats fair? HERE!
MAY GOD GIVE YOU THE STRENGH BROTHER!! the FREEDOM IS IN YOUR PALM OF HANDS!!!??! i say those people who think they are smart don't see how "DUMB" they really are,they think they would stop our hero from being hero!???? FOR DAMN SURE,…they will never take the love and respect we have for you and your works!!
…! In the End of Time and this will ALL BE OVER
LOVE YOU TEDDY AFRO, THE STAR!
December 8th, 2008 at 5:18 PM
wow wow wow! it is so amazing to me how we Ethiopian are so far away from reality. let’s try to separate the facts from myths…
First, Teddy is a great artist who transformed/contributed to the music industry a great deal. in return he made a fortune and a name for himself. – I ain’t mad at him! good job. but that is that!
Second teddy was imprisoned on the terms of hit-and-run allegedly killing another ‘helpless’ human being. Now if his witness and reasoning has proven to be correct he will be released if not he ought to legally responsible to the man he performed vehicular homicide.
Now, if we choose bypass the fact that he killed someone on the mere alignment of him as a role model is totally senseless. We should be asking our conscious what exactly makes a role model… because someone is able to stir our dull emotion with beats and words and phrases … we just don’t claim that person to be a hero hence to give him a refugee from all responsibilities…
I personally don’t think teddy’s rubbing off with the government has caused his incarceration. if teddy is in the truth side, believe you me! the truth shall set him free. else he has to be responsible.
on a slight different note, how come we Ethiopians are so angry about Teddy’s situation but NOT mad at our current naked impoverished state of existence? it is amazing to me how we can be so complacent about the ever beggar, hunger stricken way of life of millions in our nation? but, teddy’s imprisonment is such a shocking life impact moment of truth! ( PLEASE!)
that is our hypocrisy! How I wish if we have a tiny bit of zeal to be a part of the development of this nation? how I wish we have a deep sense of shame on the state of existence our citizens has to live every day? well we choose the easy way out, which doesn’t require any action at all! we blame the government!
how I wish we wake up and honestly challenge ourselves beyond the shallow “my way or the highway” arrogant attitude that shadows our logical reasoning?
HOW I WISH WE HAVE HALF THE COURAGE WE ARE SHOWING FOR TEDDY’S CAUSE TO THE MILLION’S WAY OF SURVIVAL IN THAT BARREN LAND OF OURS! HOW I WISH!
December 8th, 2008 at 6:23 PM