Controversial Lady Squanda… from faking death, theft to assaults

By Vasco Chaya

Lady Squanda — the self-proclaimed Zimdancehall queen — has been associated with controversy ever since she burst onto Zimbabwe’s music scene about a decade ago.

But even her staunchest supporters concede that the 25-year- old’s recent assault of upcoming comedian Skimbo Ziso Regondo Matika pushed her already battered reputation into revolting doldrums.

Two amateur videos that show Squanda mercilessly torturing Skimbo and forcing him to lick her feet with the help of male companions sparked outrage and shock on social media.

According to well-placed sources, Squanda tortured Skimbo as punishment for alleging that she stole some underwear at a hotel she had been booked in early this year after a concert in Kwekwe.

The indignation the assault generated appeared to have shocked Lady Squanda herself prompting her to issue an apology on Facebook and to allegedly go into hiding in neighbouring Botswana.

Despite the outrage the assault of Skimbo caused, the incident did not come as a surprise to those who have followed Lady Squanda’s controversy-tainted career.

In an effort to shed light on Squanda’s character, The Daily News on Sunday singles out some of Zimdancehall artiste’s most controversial actions.

Three years ago, Lady Squanda faked her own death as a way of marketing her song titled Rufu RwaSquanda.

The development almost claimed the life of her 78-year-old grandmother, Eunice Tomana who was shocked by the news of the untimely “death” of Squanda.

The Zimdancehall artiste unashamedly told the Daily News then that she faked her death as a marketing gimmick to promote her song.

“I was sleeping on my bed and then I started imagining what would happen if I die. I imagined the whole confusion surrounding my death including journalists and police officers running up and down trying to establish the cause of my death and my grandmother mourning me etc.

“I then decided to put the dream into reality by faking my death. I am happy that is exactly what happened: journalists running up and down, my grandmother and other close relatives mourning,” the mother of one said then.

Then, her grandmother told this paper at the time that Squanda’s life was a cocktail of real-life drama.

“It is very disheartening to note that Squanda is failing to grow up; she lacks maturity,” Tomana said.

Also in 2013, Squanda, who was raised by her grandmother from the tender age of five after the death of her mother, was embroiled in a dispute over cellphones she was asked to take back to Zimbabwe after a United Kingdom (UK) show.

It is alleged that after one of her UK shows, she was entrusted with smart mobile phones which she was supposed to deliver in Zimbabwe but a rude Squanda only handed over the phones much later after repeated pestering.

Two years ago, in keeping with her violent behaviour, Lady Squanda assaulted fellow Zimdancehall artiste Ninja Lipsy with a broken beer bottle after a misunderstanding.

Lady Squanda’s endless list of misdemeanours include allegations that early this year she stole goods worth $70 at a Kwekwe lodge where she was booked in after a concert dubbed “DJ Fydale UK Tour Welcome Bash” which also featured artistes such as Killer T and Fireman.

The alleged stolen goods included a drying towel, pillowcases, bed covers, two sheets, and coffee mugs. Daily News