R. Kelly has apparently nixed the cornrows and is now rocking the even steven. He performed at the ARISE Africa Fashion Awards Saturday (Jun 20) at the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg, South Africa. The South African people appear to have shown the R&B singer a lot of love and was presented with the Friend of Africa award after his performance of his hits including Ignition, Wind for Me, Down Low and Happy People.
In other Robert Kelly news, he’s in hot water with police due to his alleged involvement in some kind of investment scam. A Durban woman named Busisiwe Priscilla Zakwe implicated Kelly in the so-called scam that allegedly swindled money out of more than 50 people, most of whom were pensioners. State prosecutor Blackie Swart wrote a letter to Jason Miller, Kelly’s agent, earlier this year with requests that the singer explain his involvement in the scam, but apparently he didn’t receive any kind of response.
Kelly was currently in South Africa to perform and the investigators had used the opportunity to question him.
“We are leaving Durban for Johannesburg now and we will have a meeting with Kelly’s lawyers tonight,” said one of the investigators, Inspector-Detective Themba Mchunu.
The meeting with Kelly’s lawyers would be followed by questioning Kelly at 1.30pm on Friday. Zakwe was arrested in 2005 for allegedly taking thousands of rands from investors by promising them they would benefit from ticket sales if they brought an R Kelly tour to the country that year.
Kelly never appeared in the country, but Zakwe claimed she deposited R10,5 million into his account. Zakwe faced 67 charges of fraud and one of violating the Banking Act by running a scheme without permission. Mchunu said he was happy that he finally had an opportunity to interview Kelly.
“This will help us to get necessary information that we need for the case. This has taken far too long and people are becoming impatient.”
The trial was expected to start on July 15 and Zakwe was out on bail.
SOURCE: THE TIMES
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
