You Tube removes Tino Katsande bedroom tape
Video sharing website You Tube on Monday evening moved swiftly and took down the long awaited ‘bedroom’ tape featuring Zimbabwean DJ and actress Tinopona Katsande a few hours after it was posted by an anonymous user.
The clip which was about 5 minutes long and featured ZiFM presenter Katsande and her now ex-boyfriend romping in different positions, was taken down after a few hours as it violated You Tube’s community rules on the posting of sexual content.
On Sunday morning Katsande herself had warned via Facebook that the tape was going to be leaked by the tabloids the following day.
“To my social media family and friends. It has come to my attention that the tabloid in Zimbabwe is tomorrow publishing some very private and personal content belonging to me and my ex-boyfriend. It is said this material was “dropped off” at their offices this morning.
“I would like to formally apologise for the embarrassment this situation may cause you. It has not been my intent or purpose to have events that take place in my private life, be used to bring you disrepute.
“Sadly, as it happened, sometime mid of last year my mobile phone with all of its contents was stolen from me. The contents of my mobile phone contained sensitive personal messages, photographs and videos – that have now found their way to the public forum.
“All that information was not and is not intended for public consumption. The awkwardness of this and other situations gravely embarrass me and make me feel exposed and violated. I thank you for standing with me, and believing in me but more importantly for supporting me through this regressive case of ‘violation’.
“Once again I will reiterate, our media should never be reduced to invasion of privacy and human rights, and I feel that it should be a criminal offence if what takes place within the confines of private discussions and places is exposed publicly without expressed consent or permission.
“With that said, again – kindly accept my sincere apologies for any negative impact my personal actions may cause to you. My intentions were of the best motives and made to be kept between my partner and I.
“Sad to say, I’m left feeling vulnerable as I’m certain some people ‘delight’ in exposing me in a negative light. I am committed to our friendship and work and hope all slander does not impact on our relationship and what we set out to do together.
“Albeit, my lawyers and personal brand management team are on it, I want to thank you for hearing me out and I once again apologise for the embarrassment or awkwardness this violation of my privacy may cause you and I sincerely implore that this does not happen to any of you unless you have consented to it for whatever reason,” Katsande added.
The leak comes about a year after the Pokello Nare and Stunner ‘bedroom’ tape which also occurred when Pokello’s phone got into the hands of a third party, this time a friend, who put the material out into the public sphere.
The tape is now available for sale all over Harare and for download on various websites on the Internet. Numerous other incidents of leaked sexual material from phones have been reported in recent times, with H-Metro and its sister paper in Bulawayo, B-Metro, being the primary conduits.
