On Saturday morning, Congolese Lingala sensation Koffi Olomide was deported from Kenya after he was caught on tape allegedly assaulting one of his female dancers, only identified as Pamela, at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
The incident happened on Friday upon his arrival in Nairobi for a music concert at the Bomas of Kenya, which was slated for Saturday. Kenyans on social media condemned the artist for the incident, with some calling for his deportation.
Koffi was arrested hours later for what the Kenyan police said was creating a disturbance at the airport. The Congolese star together with his dancers spent the night at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport police station.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRwa34n-ZbY
Appearing on Citizen TV on Friday evening before his arrest, Koffi Olomide vehemently denied assaulting anybody saying he was protecting his crew from an unidentified pickpocket.
They even recorded a video showing the alleged female dancer denying having been kicked by the artist.
Koffi was deported aboard air flight KQ554 to Kinshasa at 11.30am.
Social Media Justice
On Saturday morning, Prof George Wajackoyah, Koffi’s lawyer, criticized his extradition saying the Kenyan social media and politicians had crucified him unjustly.
“They were treated like animals”, his lawyer claimed.
Kenya’s Inspector General of police Joseph Boinet wrote to JKIA police ordering them to take action against the Congolese musician after the assault video caused a stir on social media for the whole of Friday.
The video also prompted Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Madam Cisily Kariuki to issue a press statement condemning the artist and calling for a permanent revocation of his Kenyan Visa.
“His conduct is an insult to Kenyans and flies in the face of our constitution and what we believe in,” the statement read.
Troubled Koffi
It is not the first time the Congolese musician is marred by controversy. In 2008, Koffi Olomide was accused of assaulting a cameraman from a local TV station at a concert in Kinshasa. The two later reconciled.
In 2012, he was arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo and convicted of assaulting his music producer. He was later given a three-month suspended prison sentence.
The same year, the Congolese singer was arraigned in a French court for allegedly raping and illegally confining three of his female backup dancers. He however denied the charges, accusing the dancers of tarnishing his name for monetary gains.
Many have accused Koffi of being arrogant, quick tempered and violent.
