Grace Chinga clashes with Orange Partners – report
Celebrated gospel songstress Grace Chinga was embarrassed by police who forced her to cough out K180,000 in Lilongwe for failure to show up for a show organized Orange Partners, an arm of the ruling People’s Party (PP).
Chinga reportedly pocketed the cash from the organisers to headline the show but failed to turn up after realising that it was a party function, the Weekend Times newspaper reported on Friday.
The songbird said if she was informed in advance she could not have accepted the money.
But Frederick Nkula, spokesman of the group said Chinga literally told the organisers that she would not pay back the money, arguing that her name was used on posters and radio adverts publicising the fundraising event, according to her was equal to the K180,000 she was paid.
“We made the first payment of K50,000 through her NBS account in June and final payment of K130,000 was made on July 20, 2013 after she agreed to perform upon full payment of the performance fees. She was the only artist who got full payment before the show,” Nkula is quoted by the paper.
“Grace started demanding additional things like accommodation, transport, band of her choice and yet all these were not mentioned during the time we were making agreements. Come Sunday, the day of the show, Grace din’t show up,” he said.
Nkula said he called the star several times but she challenged him that she would not pay back the money because her name was used on posters and adverts both on radio and newspapers.
Members of the group resolved to report the matter to police who acted swiftly.
Police publicist for Lilongwe Kingsley Dandaula confirmed that Chinga was detained and released on bail.
“I don’t have the details of the case now but I can confirm that she was indeed taken to police,” he said.
Orange partners organised a fundraising gospel show on July 21 with the aim of raising funds to assist in building a classroom block at Dembo Primary School in the district.
Artists who performed at the show included Thoko Katimba, Ethel Kamwendo-Banda, Mlaka Maliro, Allan Chirwa, Marvellous Deeds and the Great Angels Choir.
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