Sofiane sentenced for blocking motorway

Sofiane sentenced for blocking motorway

The rapper committed the offense while filming a music video.

Sofiane received a suspended jail sentence for blocking a motorway.
Sofiane received a suspended jail sentence for blocking a motorway.
PARIS:
French rap star Sofiane received a four-month suspended jail sentence on Monday for blocking a motorway near Paris last year to film the video for his hit song “Toka”.

Watched 32 million times on YouTube, the clip shows Sofiane Zermani and friends bring traffic to a standstill on the four-lane A3 motorway, then set up a restaurant table and chairs on the road before starting dancing.

After being charged with a public order offense, prosecutors urged a three-month prison term, accusing Sofiane of organizing the April 2017 motorway stunt and another unauthorized video shoot in public to generate publicity.

Sentencing him on Tuesday, a judge opted instead for a suspended prison sentence, meaning he will serve time in prison if he re-offends, adding: “Don’t do it again.”

“I’ve learned my lesson,” Zermani replied. He was also fined 1,500 euros (RM7,300).

On December 15, the 34-year-old from the Seine-Saint-Denis suburb of Paris, who is also known as Fiansa, was arrested again during an unauthorized shoot in the area.

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