Ivory Coast’s renowned radio host Yves de M’Bella, who is at the centre of a row over a rape show on private Ivorian television channel NCI, was on Wednesday given 12 months in prison with a suspended sentence and a 2 million CFA francs fine.
The judge also imposed a two-year travel ban throughout the country, APA learned from the Ivorian economic capital.
The radio host had been summoned on 31 August 2021 to the criminal police headquarters for interrogation following an open investigation for apology, indecent assault during a programme called La Télé D’ici Vacances on 30 August 2021.”
In the course of the programme, M’Bella invited an ex-convict for rape to reenact his modus operandi live, using a dummy.
Crying foul the Ivorian Women’s Rights League immediately took the matter to court.
The High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA, regulator) suspended Mr. M’Bella for 30 days, from all television and radio stations in Cote d’Ivoire.
AP/ls/lb/as/APA