Court convicts rapper
Blantyre Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday convicted rapper Born Chriss for insulting the modesty of songbird Kwin B.
Chief resident magistrate Simeon Mbeza sentenced the singer to 12 months imprisonment, but suspended the sentence because he pleaded guilty.
The artist, aged 26, appeared in court to answer charges of insulting the modesty of a woman after releasing Kwin B Diss, a song which portrays the songstress as promiscuous.
Waiving the jail sentence, the magistrate ordered the convicted artist, born James Kamthumba, to clock 480 hours of community service at Ndirande Health Centre.
The police arrested Born Chriss following a complaint from Kwin B (real name Bertha Lomoti), 25, that the song puts her to shame.
Insulting the modesty of a woman contravenes Section 137of the Penal Code.
Police prosecutor Boyson Yamungo pleaded for a stiff punishment, saying lyrics that demean women are becoming widespread in the country. He argued that anyone, including musicians, need to treat women with the respect they deserve.
But magistrate Mbeza handed the suspended jail sentence taking into consideration the artist’s plea and mitigations that he is a first offender and still in school.
“If you send me to prison, my future will be doomed. I may not have access to education,” Born Chriss, who earlier claimed that he had released the song for fun, told the court.
He will perform community service in his populous hometown, Ndirande.
He hails from Fulatira Village, Traditional Authority Makwangwala in Ntcheu. n
