Ethiopian singer, Teddy Afro whose songs became an anthem for opposition protests of the Ethiopian government in 2005, is convicted of the manslaughter of a homeless man killed in a hit-and-run incident in Addis Ababa in 2006, reports have claimed.
The country’s best-known pop star is also guilty of driving without a license and faces between five and 15 years in prison.
Reports claim that when the sentence was passed, the singer tried to protest and was hushed by his lawyers.
But as he left the court, having regained his composure, Teddy Afro gave a thumbs-up sign to supporters and told journalists: ‘I never killed anyone, I didn’t get justice from this court.’
There had been some confusion about which night the homeless man had died.
On the first date the singer had an alibi: He was out of the country. On the second possible date, Teddy Afro claimed he had been out with friends. But the judge was not convinced and found him guilty on all charges.
It is reported that the singer’s defenses were bluntly dismissed by the presiding Judge, Leul Gebremariam in a long summing-up as the Ethiopian pop star was found guilty of running the homeless man down in his car and driving away without reporting the incident.
Many of his fans however believe that the charges against him were politically motivated.
