Ethiopia’s controversial singer, Teddy Afro, was freed early (for good behaviour) from prison on Thursday after serving 18 months of a two-year sentence for hit-and-run manslaughter.
The performer, whose birth-name is Tewodros Kassahun, was found guilty of killing an 18-year-old homeless man while driving his BMW in the capital Addis Ababa in 2007.
He denied ever being in the car when the purported incident occurred, but the court did not believe his alibi evidence. He was jailed for six years. His sentence was cut from six years in February 2009 after his lawyer argued that the victim had been drunk and was lying unconscious on the road when the ‘incident’ occurred.
When he was sentenced to jail, he told news men that he felt “free” as he was led away by prison officers.
Afro is very popular in Addis Ababa the Ethiopian capital, and beyond. He sings in Amharic and focuses on topical political issues of the day. His music has crticised the present Ethiopian government on several occasions. His songs were the anthem of political protest in the last contested election results of 2005.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yckJMGkNMxUHis supporters claimed that he was jailed as a result of political vendetta. His arrest and subsequent trial were marked by imrpomptu protest by thousands of unauthorized demonstrators in Addis Ababa.
Upon his release, Afro made the following brief statement:
“I would like to express my respect and gratitude to all the people of our country.
“I was able to meet many good people in prison, from the lowest-ranking policemen to the highest administrator. I had a nice time. My relations with other prisoners were also good.”
Rasta Livewire Reports
August 14-2009