Tanzanian singer Ommy Dimpoz on December 4, 2022, announced the death of his ex-lover Maja Janeska alias Maya Mia without revealing the cause of her death.
Dimpoz changed his profile picture on Instagram. He replaced his photo with the one he posed with his late ex-girlfriend.
The Bongo singer further reminisced about the times he spent with Maya Mia while they were still dating.
"I am deeply saddened to think that she is gone 😭,she was a person with a heart of gold,My Maya…You will be missed forever and always. The beautiful moments you shared with us will always speak of the great person that you were. Rest in peace up in heaven! 🙏🏽💔 Love You," Ommy Dimpoz wrote in a post on Instagram.
Maya Mia's death
Maya Mia was a popular make-up artist and influencer who was born in Macedonia but had lived in Tanzania for over a decade before she moved to South Africa.
The 39-year-old died on December 2, 2022, at her South African home which she shared with her boyfriend Kyle Phillips.
Police said the influencer was found dead at the plush home she shared with her boyfriend Phillips, who is co-director of the tobacco company Carnilinx, in Bassonia Estate, in South Africa's Johannesburg.
South African police further confirmed that Maya Mia was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head.
"Upon arrival at the address given, police found a woman in the bedroom with a gunshot wound on the head,' police spokesperson Mavela Masondo said.
"There was a firearm next to her. The woman was certified dead by the paramedics," Masondo said.
Masondo would not comment on who owned the firearm, adding: "The police cannot comment on it now as that might jeopardize the investigation."
Police opened an inquest into the influencer's death, meaning it is not being treated as suspicious at the present time.
Maya Mia's boyfriend Phillips said he was brushing his teeth in the bathroom when he heard a gunshot coming from their bedroom, according to reports.
Phillips added that he was devastated and in shock by the tragedy and he even told local news he would be hiring his own pathologist.
'Feared for her life'
After Maya Mia's death, a family member told local media that she 'sometimes feared for her life'.
"She sometimes feared for her life. Her boyfriend had men working for him, and she feared them also,' an anonymous relative told News24.
"We are heartbroken, and we seriously don't know what to do. We are in Europe and our hands are tied because we can't come to South Africa because of visa issues. Maja is lying there in some mortuary, and we don't have any clue as to what is actually happening," the relative, who wished to remain anonymous for safety purposes, added.
The family member said they were informed of Maya's death by one of Phillips' former associates who claimed suicide was currently the suspected cause.
Tanzania
Nine days before her death, Maya Mia told university students that she moved to Tanzania when she was 19 to work in a hotel.
During that time, she learned Swahili and launched her career as a makeup artist and stylist.
Mia Mia dated Bongo singer Ommy Dimpoz and comedian Idris Sultan.
Idris also mourned Maya Mia's death through posts on social media on December 4.
Kenya
Mia Mia also visited Kenya during her time living in Tanzania. She described former Mombasa governor Hassan Joho as a friend and a future president.
"Happy Birthday to an amazing leader, future President,friend, fam and special soul! @joho_001 May God bless you with everything you ever wish for 🙏🏻," Maya Mia wrote in a post on Instagram on February 26, 2022.
In another post on May 18, 2022, Mia Mia said Joho was the coolest governor.
"@joho_001 The coolest Governor in the WORLD thank you for all the years of friendship 🙏🏻♾," she wrote.
Maya Mia used to rub shoulders with high-powered celebrities, politicians and tycoons alike.
Maya Mia was recently at the centre of public attention in her home country of Macedonia after photos with her were published by current politicians, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani and the former Minister of Health, Venko Filipce.
Tanzania’s richest man Mohammed Dewji and Hollywood star Djimon Hounsou, famous for his role in the blockbuster movie ‘Blood Diamond’, are among the famous people Mia Maya rubbed shoulders with.
