CONTROVERSIAL social media figure Musa Khawula has once again found himself at the centre of public scrutiny following his recent arrest, with multiple charges lodged against him.
The 33-year-old blogger, known for his sensationalist claims, made a brief appearance at the Randburg District Court, where the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Phindi Mjonondwane outlined the serious allegations he faces.
It is reported that Khawula was been charged with crimen injuria and violating the Cyber Crimes Act of 2020, alongside accusations of hate speech.
The charges stem from a series of derogatory statements he allegedly made against businessman Zed Nxumalo, 44, during a troubling period between October, 10 and 12, 2024. It is claimed that the statements targeted Nxumalo's dignity, leading to the current legal proceedings.
During the court session, the state firmly opposed Khawula's bail application due to his ongoing murder case from 2022 in the Free State, as well as an outstanding warrant related to reckless and negligent driving.
“Furthermore, Sergeant Mabunda's investigation further revealed that the accused's profile and physical address still need to be verified to enable the compilation of a comprehensive statement for bail application purposes. subsequently, Khawula was remanded in custody without bail until 21 January 2025, when a formal bail application will be heard,” revealed Mjonondwane.
Despite his repeated suspensions for sensationalist reporting, Khawula's Twitter account has seen a meteoric rise in popularity.
His followers, keen to discover the latest salacious titbits, have driven his notoriety on social media. This allure, however, comes at a price; many in the entertainment industry have voiced their concerns over the harm caused by Khawula’s relentless cyber-bullying.
Other prominent figures, including Lerato Kganyago, Ayanda Thabethe, Moshe Ndiki, Mihlali Ndamase, Cassper Nyovest, and Minnie Dlamini, have become embroiled in ongoing conflicts with Khawula, with several of them threatening legal action against the blogger.
On his encounter with Nxumalo he took to his X account and apologised for his defamatory comments he made on his posts about the couple.
“Askies hle Zesimdumise Nxumalo for saying you cheated on your wife Dr Tamaryn Green with Lebo Mokoena. That was so wrong of me, how dare I. Will you please ensure that your wife gets this as well. Oh what a kind man, God bless you,” wrote Khawula .
“I deleted those on the 14th October 2024 when one of your friends called and begged me endlessly to take the tweets down because I’m stressing your pregnant wife and she crying day and night (ask your gay friend, he would know about all of this) from the goodness of my heart.
“Guess what? I’m such a cheapskate. I took the money, went and got drunk on cheap alcohol and then deleted all of them. They were also willing to pay me to issue an apology but I did no’ wanna do it. So I refused and now I just did it for free. Silly me, again, askies neh for saying all those nasty things about you.”
Saturday Star