Diamond arrested in Dar over ‘indecent’ footage

Bongo flava star Diamond Platnumz. He was arrested for posting pictures that authorities say breach cultural norms. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Police are also looking for Bongo artist Nandi over similar claims.
  • An Instagram post of Diamond playfully kissing an unidentified woman has been shared by several news site.
  • Last month Tanzania's authorities banned 13 songs by local artists including Diamond.

Tanzanian artiste Nasseb Abdul popularly known as Diamond Plutinumz was arrested on Monday by police and questioned over indecent footage he had posted on social media.

In the video clip that went viral, the shirtless music sensation is seen kissing an unidentified white woman as music plays in the background. 

According to Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Lazaro Mambosasa, Diamond, 28, was questioned on Monday and released on bail pending further investigations.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Tanzania’s Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, said that Diamond could be indicted for going against the country’s cybercrime law and threshold of decency following the footage.

Another artiste Nandy will also be apprehended and probed for indecency, the minister said.

DIVORCED

Diamond is considered the highest selling Tanzanian musician ever, with 22 awards to his name. He was recently divorced by his wife, Ugandan socialite Zari Hassan, which is what many believe prompted him to post the video. This is not the first time the music superstar has come under fire from the authorities for his explicit music videos.

In March this year, the Tanzanian government banned 13 local songs, two of which, were Diamond’s.  The songs, Hallelujah and Waka Waka, were blacklisted by Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) for crossing the borderline of the country’s norms and values.

In 2016, the Tanzanian government cracked the whip on other music videos deemed too raunchy for the public, including Zigo remix by Diamond and fellow countryman AY. 

MORAL DECAY

Such songs, experts warn, are to blame for moral decay among the youth in Kenya where they enjoy massive airplay.

Last week, lewd photos of youngsters were published on Twitter, with the aim of “exposing” and “shaming” them. Using the hashtag #IfikieWazazi, tens of photos taken in various streets in Nairobi were posted on Twitter with youth posing suggestively, an incident that sparked outrage and condemnation in equal measure from various quarters.

The Kenya Film and Classification Board Chief Executive Officer Ezekiel Mutua said they are pursuing a national conversation on moral issues to influence the content being aired by mainstream media, both offline and online.

Dr Mutua said he has asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene in the matter, to reconfigure the country’s moral compass.