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France Extradites Singer in People-Smuggling Scam - 2004-02-18


France has extradited a popular African-born singer to Belgium in connection with a probe into an alleged people-smuggling scam.

His lawyer says Papa Wemba arrived in Brussels Tuesday and will be questioned by authorities over the next few days.

The singer, whose real name is Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, is suspected of using his musical career to smuggle dozens of people from his native Democratic Republic of Congo into France. He is under investigation in both France and Belgium, but has never been charged.

The singer told French police he obtained visas for several people to come to Europe, saying he acted on humanitarian, not financial, grounds.

Some information for this report provided by AFP and Reuters.

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