Canadian musician K’naan charged with 2010 sexual assault in Quebec City

By The Canadian Press on September 26, 2024.

QUEBEC – Canadian rapper K’naan, known for the global hit “Wavin’ Flag,” has been charged for an alleged sexual assault in Quebec City dating back more than 14 years.

A charge sheet filed at the courthouse in Quebec City says the rapper, whose given name is Keinan Abdi Warsame, is charged with one count of sexual assault from July 2010.

The arrest warrant alleges the assault took place between July 16 and July 17, 2010, dates that coincide with the musician’s appearance at Quebec City’s popular Festival d’été de Québec.

The case was before the court today but the accused was not present.

The victim, whose identity is protected, was 29 at the time of the alleged assault.

The musician, who was born in Somalia, grew up in Toronto but now resides in Brooklyn, N.Y., according to the charge sheet. Messages left with him seeking comment were not immediately returned.

On Tuesday, he was given the cultural impact award at Canada’s SOCAN Awards for the global resonance of the 2009 hit “Wavin’ Flag.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.

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