The popular Ivorian television presenter suspended for asking a guest on his show to simulate rape has now been sentenced by a court.
Yves de M’Bella received a 12-month suspended sentence for what prosecutors say was the promotion of rape.
The court fined him $3,600 and placed a ban on him from leaving the country’s main city, Abidjan.
De M’Bella had asked his guest to demonstrate a rape using a female mannequin, an incident that attracted criticisms from viewers and social media users.
He even at a point of the show helped the guest adjust the mannequin and asked him how he chooses his victims, whether he preferred them “slim or fat” and whether the victims “enjoyed it”.
Ivory Coast’s independent communications council on Tuesday said the popular presenter has been suspended for 30 days.
The council said in a statement that the segment which the convicted rapist featured used obscene language, condoned rape and attacked the dignity of women.
The presenter himself wrote on Facebook that he was “sincerely sorry to have shocked everyone while trying to raise awareness.”
De Mbella added that he “made an error” and was “sorry for everything that was said or done during that sequence of the programme yesterday that hurt.”
He further wrote that “I beg for forgiveness from all victims of rape.”
The Nouvelle Chaine Ivoirienne private television station which the presenter works for also apologised for airing the segment and has now cancelled the final episode of that particular show.
The guest, Kader Traoré who appeared on the show to simulate rape was also sentenced to two years in prison and fined $900, also for promoting rape.
He, however, told the court that he had previously been convicted of theft and not rape.
Ivory Coast’s Women’s Affairs Minister Nassénéba Touré said Monday’s broadcast had undermined efforts to eradicate rape.
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Source: Africafeeds.com
