Governor Rasanga helps ‘Kanungo’ hit-maker avoid serving time in jail

Ohangla musician Otieno Aloka, whose real name is George Adinda Otieno, was on Monday, August 31 sentenced to two years in jail, or an alternative of Ksh120,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to performing obscene music on his Facebook page, contrary to KFCB regulations.

Aloka was arraigned before Kisumu Chief Magistrate Peter Gesora.

The ‘Kanungo’ hit-maker had earlier Monday gone to Kisumu Central Police Station to demand Ksh15,000 he had paid as police cash bail on August 21, when he was arrested and taken to court.

Aloka wanted his money back, saying the complainant, the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB), had dropped charges against him, and, therefore, the case was no longer active in court.

He was, however, bundled into a police van and taken to the Kisumu Law Courts, where he pleaded guilty to charges that had, originally, been levelled against him by the KFCB.

The Board had charged Aloka with four offences namely: displaying obscene audio-visual content, failure to obtain a filming license, contravention of Section 4(2) of the Films and Stage Plays Act, and distribution and exhibition of unclassified content.

In a letter addressed to the DCI boss in Kisumu Central dated August 28, KFCB CEO Dr. Ezekiel Mutua said the agency had decided to drop charges against the artiste after he (Aloka) “tendered an apology to the Board and has agreed to comply with the provisions of the law in his future productions and performance”.

“The purpose of this letter is to inform you that the Board does not wish to pursue this matter in court and would like to engage in alternative dispute resolution with the artiste. Consequently, we request you to allow us pursue the matter out of court,” said Mutua in the letter addressed to Kisumu Central DCIO.

That letter, however, was not enough to rescue Aloka from the grip of justice.

After pleading guilty to all charges pressed against him, Aloka was sentenced to two years in jail, or secure his freedom by parting with Ksh120,000 in the form of fine.

Unable to raise the money, Aloka was assisted to post fine by Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga.

The singer was arrested on August 21 after the KFCB lodged a complaint against his song titled ‘Ochot Madhako’ (Dholuo word to mean ‘a female prostitute’), which he broadcast live on Facebook on August 15.

In the song, the artiste used vulgar lyrics to refer to women and their private parts.

Kisumu Woman Representative, Rosa Buyu, was among the first people to call for the musician’s arrest and prosecution.

Buyu’s complaints caught the attention of KFCB boss, Dr Ezekiel Mutua, who promised lawful action against the musician, terming Aloka’s lyrics as “perverted and aimed at polluting the minds of children”.

In the frowned-upon video that was widely shared on Facebook and Twitter, Aloka was seen singing with his band comprising two female dancers, two pianists, a drummer and a background vocalist.

On August 16, the artiste took to social media to apologise to the public following the backlash, saying the song was not meant for public consumption, but was a special request from his client in Germany.

“I never meant to disrespect women and they are the people I want to sincerely apologise to. This song was for a client,” he said on Facebook.