Popular Zimbabwean urban grooves singer Enock Guni, 39, known as Nox, was detained over the weekend in Dublin, Ireland after being arrested for alleged credit card fraud by police and had his scheduled show at the Button Factory on Friday cancelled.
According to a report by The Irish Sun newspaper, Nox was staying at the Hard Rock Hotel in Temple Bar and when it came to paying the €787 (US$861) bill, including room service, he “paid with a shocked American woman’s credit card number.”
“Instead of getting on stage, Nox was arrested for deception, interviewed and held in Garda (police) custody until he appeared before Judge John Hughes at a weekend sitting of Dublin District Court,” The Irish Sun newspaper reported.
In mitigation, Judge Hughes accepted that Nox eventually compensated the hotel for their loss and he paid an extra €100 towards charity.
The judge also avoided convicting the singer saying this would impact his ability to tour. In return Nox “agreed to visit and teach the children at the St Andrews youth club in Pearse Street about his music,” the paper added.
The “Ndinonyara” hitmaker was released on bail and had his case adjourned until September.
The Irish Sun newspaper report also notes that Nox “pleaded guilty to obtaining services by deception at the hotel using another person’s Mastercard number.”
In defence, his lawyer Alexander Rafter explained that Nox had not booked the room himself and that an unnamed promoter had done so.
