Why troubled Willy Paul is staring at jail term
Musician Wilson Radido, better known as Willy Paul, is set to appear in court on March 5, 2024, following his dramatic arrest a day earlier.
Nairobi News understands the arrest by police at his home in Syokimau is related to allegations of a hit-and-run accident as well as his involvement in the controversial story surrounding Diana Marua.
Willy Paul is expected to be formally charged today at Kiambu law courts, sources close to the investigation say.
This development comes after a series of events that have increased public scrutiny of the musician.
Before the arrest, the musician had made shocking claims about a police presence outside his Syokimau residence.
In a post, he stated:
“I’ve been told that there are police officers outside my house Syotani Villas waiting for me saying I knocked someone and ran away, they want to kill me!!! The same thing happened last year. If something happens to me you mjue ni watu wamevaa uniform and they’re outside my house right now!!”
According to Caroline Giseve, a lawyer representing musician Diana Bahati, Willy Paul’s arrest is linked to cyberbullying charges.
Giseve informed reporters that the arrest was authorised by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions after Willy Paul repeatedly failed to appear despite multiple summonses.
“Investigations were conducted, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions authorised Willy Paul’s arrest,” stated Giseve.
“Despite numerous summonses, Willy Paul failed to appear, leading to his arrest on Monday morning,” she added.
This legal entanglement is not the first time Willy Paul and Diana Marua have been involved in contentious disputes.
The roots of the case trace back to incidents in 2021 when Willy Paul made online claims about being in a relationship with Diana before she married fellow musician Bahati.
However, Diana accused Willy Paul of attempted rape, prompting the court to order her to remove the video after Willy Paul filed a defamation suit against her.
Willy Paul has since claimed that his longtime rival, Bahati, has been using his wife to settle scores with him.