DRC Singer Koffi Olomide Deported Fom Kenya and Sent to Jail
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Tags: Congolese General Prosecution, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Kenya, Nairobi, Rhumba Maestro Koffi Olomide
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Congolese General Prosecution has charged Rhumba Maestro Koffi Olomide to serve one year in jail having been found guilty of assaulting one of his female dancers in Kenya.
The 60-year old singer, appeared on Friday kicking one of his dancers when they landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi,Kenya. This he did for an unidentified reason ahead of his Kenyan Show. He was since rushed back to Kinshasa after he was slammed for standing such a fatal misconduct.
The singer was then arrested on Tuesday at his home in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo and taken to court shortly after and charged with the crime. He was found guilty and sentenced to a year in jail.
Olomide denied assaulting one of his dancers identified as Pamela. His lawyer George Wajackoyah also accused police of manhandling the musician.
The Masters Degree holder in Mathematics apologized in a Facebook post on Monday, terming the incident a “moment of madness”.
He has faced widespread condemnation and outrage since the video of the incident at JKIA was shared on social media.
Kenyans on Twitter called for his immediate arrest and deportation following the unfortunate incident at the airport.
Olomide was deported to Kinshasa, DRC, by Kenya Airways after spending a night in police custody last week.
The singer’s show at Zambia’s Agricultural and Commercial Society, where he was scheduled to perform at this year’s 90th Show, was cancelled as a result, according to Ben Shoko, the President of the show’s management Committee.
Background : Olomide, was born on 13 August 1956 in Kisangani, DRC. His mother named him Koffi because he was born on a Friday. He grew up in a middle-class family, without any musical background. During his youth, Olomide improvised by singing popular songs with his own lyrics and altered rhythms until a neighbor taught him how to play the guitar.
Education: Described by fellow students and his teachers alike as “a very bright student,” Olomide got a scholarship to study in Bordeaux, France where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in business economics. He is also reported to hold a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Paris
Musical career: Upon his return to the Congo in the 1970s, Koffi joined Papa Wemba’s band, Viva la Musica, initially as a composer and songwriter, and later as a lead vocalist. In 1986, he formed his band known as Quartier Latin International, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2006. Since then, he has performed and recorded both with the group and by himself.
Over the years, he built up a faithful fan base internationally, particularly in Africa and Europe. Koffi popularized the slower style of Soukous, which he dubbed Tcha Tcho. His music can be quite controversial, taking on current events and topics considered taboo in some conservative societies. He also participated in the salsa music project Africando.
For his effort, Effrakata, released in 2001, Koffi received four awards on a single night at the annual Kora Awards in South Africa for 2002 and 2003, including the award for Best African Artist, which he won in 1998. More recently, he won the Kora Award for “Best African Artist of The Decade”. This established one of his many aliases, the ‘Quadra Kora Ma.
