After nine months of controversial litigation, the sensational stage performer Tewodros Kassahun, more popularly known as Teddy-Afro, was last Friday, December 5, 2008, sentenced to six years imprisonment and an 18,000 Br fine.

The verdict - sad news for Ethiopia's pop star and his fans - extends his stay at the Kality Prison Centre for about five more years. It was made after the Federal High Court Eighth Criminal Bench, which had been trying the case since April 16, 2008, found Tewodros guilty on two counts.

The first was his involvement in the hit and run incident in which an 18-year old homeless man was killed in November 2006.

The second count was on fleeing from the scene of the crime, when he possibly could have helped the person hit.

According to the Ethiopian penal code, a driver would be charged with homicide if he knocks down a person, leading to death, and drives 15m away from the scene of the accident.

The penalty ranges from five to fifteen years of imprisonment and a fine that peaks to 15,000 Br.

The other crime the court found Tewodros guilty of committing is punishable by an imprisonment of one month to two years and a 1,000 Br - 5,000 Br fine, according to the penal code. He was subsequently sentenced to one year imprisonment and a 5,000 Br fine for this charge.

Judge Leul Gebremariam, who presided over the trial, told the court that the defendant had been given the minimum sentences for the charges.

"The aim of penal code is more of corrective than punitive," Judge Leul said. "That is why the court has sentenced the defendant to the minimum penalties." This, however, was not acceptable to Tewodros, who adamantly spoke out saying that he had not committed any crime. Those who also believed in his innocence were also not pleased with the verdict.

The court had declared the singer guilty of both charges last Tuesday, December 2, 2008. Sentencing was then given on Friday.

On November 3, 2006, investigators from the Addis Abeba Police Commission arrested Tewodros Kassahun after suspecting him of leaving the scene of a car accident that they alleged had caused the death of the 18 years old Degu Yibelte, a street dweller who came from Gojjam to reside with his uncle before he moved out onto the streets. According to the police, Degu was killed on the night of November 2, 2006.

Though Tewodros was taken into custody for a day, he was released the next day on a 50,000 Br bail.

Several months later when the police had finalized investigations, the singer was once again arrested and sent to Addis Abeba Central Prison on April 16, 2008, after the court adjourned to rule over his appeal for right of bail on charges of murder.

Now it seems he will not be released any time soon for whatever amount of bail as the cases he was accused of is punishable by 15 or more years of imprisonment Ethiopia's penal code does not entitle such suspects to the right to bail.

Over the past months as Tewodros' trial raged on, the benches in the courtroom where it was held were always so overcrowded with the young star's that the case had to be moved a separate big hall where about 500 people, including journalists, could attend.

"It is not to treat you special that your trial is conducted in such a big hall," Judge Luel told Tewodros at the beginning of Friday's trial after slightly cautioning defendant and those present to refrain from undue reactions when the verdict was passed.

"It is to allow the public and media to have access to the process. You [Tewodros] have killed an ordinary person and you are, therefore, convicted on ordinary charges," he said.

Tewodros requested to ask a question and the Judge turned him down saying "it is not the session" for that. Instead, the Judge warned that if he [Tewodros] attempted to disturb the court proceedings, then the judgement would be passed in a closed session.

Dressed in a black suit and apparently prepared to accept the verdict, Tewodros smiled at the Judge's reaction and showed in gesture that "God would be his judge."

Sources close to Million Assefa and Ameha Bedlu, Teddy's lawyers, told Fortune that they would appeal against the verdict in the Supreme Court.