Congolese rhumba musician Koffi Olomide faces arrest in Zambia for alleged assault, local media reported today.
The privately-owned daily, The Post, said that Olomide had been reported to the police for allegedly assaulting a freelance journalist at the upmarket Taj Pamodzi Hotel on Friday evening during his show.
“The 44-year-old Jean Ndayisenga reported to Kabwata police that the multi-award-winning musician kicked him in the face as he tried to take a picture of him after a show at Lusaka’s Taj Pamodzi on Friday,” reported the Sunday Post.
According to the paper, Kabwata police deputy criminal investigations boss Augustine Hamoonga said that Koffi had been reported to Kabwata Police Station for assault.
The paper quoted Mr Ndayisenga as saying: “He kicked me in the face and my flash got damaged.
There were a lot of people and they saw what happened.”
It reported that Olomide was no stranger to trouble with the Zambian police as he evaded arrest during his previous visit two years ago following differences with his promoters at the time.
It said that in his home country, the 58-year-old musician appeared in court for allegedly assaulting his producer Diego Music Lubaki and malicious destruction of hotel facilities in August this year.
There was no immediate comment from Olomide.
Olomide is in Zambia for a series of shows in the capital, Lusaka, and Kitwe in the Copperbelt Province.
Olomide is liked by many at his Zambian shows but it is not clear how much damage the incident will cause to his impending shows
Source:nation.co.ke
