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Luke Ntombela has 7 days to retract sexual assault allegations against DJ Tira
Tira’s legal team, Mkhize Attorneys, have given Luke Ntombela seven days to apologise and retract allegations made about Tira in the past few weeks.
Happier Times: (From L-R) Zodwa Wabantu, DJ Tira and Luke Ntombela. The latter has been handed a cease and desist by Tira’s lawyers. Picture: Fezile Luhle Makhathini/Facebook
DJ Tira showed his legal muscle on Monday as he, through his lawyers, ordered Luke Ntombela to retract sexual assault allegations she made about him on social media in the past few weeks.
A week ago, Ntombela claimed that she woke up in the DJ’s bed after being blacked out, suggesting Tira might have sexually assaulted her.
“Such conduct from you is causing serious and severe harm to our clients’ esteemed brand and reputation,” read the letter from Tira’s lawyers, Mkhize Attorneys.
Ntombela shared screenshots of a conversation between her and Tira, whose real name is Mthokozi Khathi.
Following the uproar from the aforementioned posts, Ntombela was invited to Ukhozi FM’s breakfast show, Vuka Afrika Breakfast Show a few days later.
“You were on Ukhozi FM radio station and again made serious, baseless and uninformed defamatory statements against our client,” read the legal letter.
The Citizen is yet to receive a response from Ntombela, nearly a week after requesting for comment.
Song dispute
Since April, Ntombela made allegations of a payment and song registration dispute with Tira.
“I’m gonna do anything that’s due to me. I’m not planning to expose you or to taint your name, well not intentionally,” wrote Ntombela in a direct message to Tira. She shared the screenshot of the message.
The song in question is Imithandazo, which was released in 2017. The song features on the Afrotainment’s AfroSummer 17 compilation. Tira is the founder and owner of Afrotainment.
Ntombela is credited as one of the contributors, together with Paras. Ntombela shared email conversations with Tira, where he shared details the song payment distribution.
A few days later, Ntombela shared another dialogue of herself and what seems like Tira, who in the conversation asked her how much she wants.
“Why do you think I still care about your brand while I’ve been trying to make you understand the pain, humiliation and depression you’ve caused us?” asked Ntombela in response.
The singer, who has been part of Mzansi Magic’s Clash of the Choirs, also shared a photo with a prescription of depression medication, dated 27 September 2023.
Cease and desist
“It is therefore our instruction to demand as we hereby do, that you desist from this unlawful conduct of publishing and peddling these malicious and unfounded allegations against our client,” read the lawyers’ warning to Ntombela.
The letter instructed Ntombela to publish a retraction of the statements she’s made through her social media platforms.
“You must further conduct a radio interview through the same radio station, retract the interview you conducted and offer an unconditional apology.”
It will be seen if Ntombela heeds the call to retract the statements. She shared the cease and desist on her Facebook page, as her above mentioned allegations have also remained on her accounts.
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