Congolese Singer, Koffi Olomide Sentenced For Rape Of 15-Year-Old Dancer

Congolese singer, Antoine Agbepa Mumba known as Koffi Olomide, has been awarded a two-year suspended prison sentence for rape of one of his former dancers when she was 15.

According to reports, the musician was sentenced to jail on Monday by a court in France in absentia, since he failed to show up.

The 62-year-old singer was ordered to pay a fine of 5,000 euros ($5,700; £4,300) in damages to the former dancer, as well as a fine of the same amount for helping three of the women enter France illegally.

He was reportedly first charged in 2012 with aggravated rape after four of his dancers told the court that he sexually assaulted them multiple times between 2002 and 2006.

The women further went on to say that they were held captive in a villa outside Paris against their will, but escaped one night in June 2006, and did not return home to DR Congo for fear of reprisal.

Prosecutors were initially seeking a seven-year sentence but the charges were reduced after the court dismissed the assault and kidnapping charges.