Guest of the show ”Faha faha” on Ivoire Music Tv, Ivorian actor and comedian Jimmy Danger, laughingly recounted how he had made “a little black cat” – rape in Ivorian slang – on one of her cousins. A role he was to play in a film in his early career. These remarks taken out of context sparked a lively controversy within social media. Several feminist organizations immediately stepped up to denounce “apology for rape” and threaten to bring the case before the competent courts.

Words taken out of context

“I was asked what role I refused to play. I had been offered a scenario in which I had to make a “black cat” on one of my relatives. This is the scenario that I described. It is an element that has been removed from its context”, justified the actor in a video posted on social networks on Saturday evening. But this clarification was not enough to calm the ardor.

the remarks made cannot constitute an apology for a rape or an incitement to rape

Seized of the case, the high authority for audio-visual communication has delivered its verdict, the content of which was published in a press release on Thursday. “After analyzing all of the exchanges and in particular the statement by the guest that he could not accept such a role because of his duty to educate young people, HACA notes that the comments made cannot constitute an apology for rape or an incitement to rape”, ruled the HACA.

In its verdict, the body in charge of regulating the audio-visual sector confirms that the words of Jimmy Danger have indeed been taken out of context. “Following the viewing carried out, the HACA notes on the one hand that the trailer published on the social networks was extracted from its context of realization and on the other hand that it was about the narration, in response to the question put to him by the host, of the role that this humorist refused to play, ”explains the institution. It also notes that it does not find any breach by the publisher “Ivoir TV Music” of any of the legal, regulatory or contractual obligations to which it is bound.

A similar case shook the web last September

Last September, a similar case caused an uproar in Côte d’Ivoire. The host Yves de M’Bella had invited in his program on the New Ivorian channel (NCI, private) supposed to denounce rape, a former rapist whom he had asked to explain how he went about abusing his victims , with the help of a model in front of an audience. Yves de M’Bella was immediately sentenced to a 12-month suspended prison sentence for “apology for rape” and “indecency” while his guest was sentenced to two years in prison.