Koffi Olomide sentenced to prison for holding dancers against their will

A French court has found Congolese musician Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba, popularly known as Koffi Olomide, guilty of holding four former dancers against their will.

Olomide was sentenced to 18 months in prison after he was found guilty of holding women against their liberty between 2002-2006.

The court however cleared the music star of charges of statutory rape.

The court overturned a 2019 ruling that found Olomide guilty of statutory rape over what it termed as “changing and sometimes contradictory evidence” from his accusers.

Defense lawyer David Desgranges, in a statement, said the ruling will come as a disappointment to the dancers.

"Obviously they will be disappointed with the sexual assault verdicts because for them it was the most important thing," he said.

The French court also ordered the 65-year-old singer to pay the dancers approximately Ksh.1.2 million each.