Popular Congolese musician barred from entering Zambia

Koffi Olomide has been blocked from entering into Zambia because of multiple allegations that have been brought up against him.

Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba, popularly known as Koffi Olomide was a former member of the late Congolese musician, Papa Wemba's music band, Viva La Musica, before he later set up his own Quartier Latin International band in 1986.

The singer, who is famed for popularizing the traditional Central African sound, Soukous with his waist twisting dance moves, has now been barred from entering into Zambia, a place he once referred to as his second home due to multiple criminal allegations against him.

Some of the allegations include that of assaulting a photojournalist in Zambia during a previous tour.

He was also accused of sexually assaulting his dancers, kidnapping them and employing them without valid permits in France, leading to the cancellation of his proposed visit to Zambia.

Koffi Olomide, was billed to hold two shows in Zambia this month but the government issued a warning that he will be arrested the moment he enters the country, and an apology broadcast on Zambian radio has not in anyway helped his course.

On Saturday, July 14, the French embassy in Zambia also called for the arrest of the singer, with France’s ambassador to Zambia, Sylvain Berger, threatening to involve Interpol to arrest Olomide, whom he said has not yet been cleared of the allegations against him in France.

His many controversies

Koffi Olomide is not new to controversies as alongside a number of hit records,he also has a rich history of assaulting people.

In 2008 he was accused of kicking a cameraman at a concert in Kinshasa; the matter was resolved out of court, while in 2012 he was convicted of assaulting his producer, and received a three-month suspended sentence.

In July 2016 while on a concert trip to Kenya, he was caught on camera kicking one of his female dancers on arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with the video going viral, leading to the cancellation of his planned concert at immediate deportation.

Five days later he was arrested at his home in Kinshasa, and the same day sentenced to 18 months in prison, which, after the intervention of the Congolese head of state, was reduced to three months.