MHD, a 29-year-old French rapper, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for murder.
A judge in Paris convicted the rapper, whose actual name is Mohamed Sylla, guilty of his involvement in the gang-related killing of Loic K in the capital in 2018.
The victim was pushed down by MHD’s Mercedes before being attacked and stabbed by a gang of up to 12 individuals, according to the French court. MHD had pleaded “not guilty” to the charge. Five of his co-defendants were also found guilty, while three were acquitted.
AFP news agency reports that MHD told the court, “From the beginning, I have maintained my innocence in this case and I will continue to maintain my innocence.”
The French rapper claimed he was not present at the crime site and that the evidence against him was based on rumors. A local resident’s footage recorded from the window of his home was used against him, and MHD was identified by other witnesses.
According to Agence France-Presse investigative findings, some witnesses recognized MHD by his haircut and a Puma sweater, for whom he was a brand ambassador. A day after the murder, the automobile was discovered abandoned and burned out in a parking lot.
MHD popularized afro-trap, a fusion of hip-hop and African customs, after becoming a viral phenomenon in 2015. In January 2019, the 29-year-old was charged with homicide and imprisoned. He was released after a year and a half in jail while investigations were ongoing, and he released a new album.
Several women in the public gallery fell into tears when the verdict was read aloud. MHD hugged one of them while remaining calm. The football-obsessed musician, who was born in France to Guinean and Senegalese parents, is most known for his song Afro Trap Part 3 (Champions League), which praises the Paris Saint-Germain football team.
He had built a name for himself internationally, attracting the attention of worldwide celebrities such as Drake and Madonna.