I was raped in Ivory Coast – Mzbel

Ghanaian musician, Mzbel, has disclosed that she has been raped multiple times, including during her childhood, and recounted alleged sexual advances and assaults involving some religious leaders she trusted.

She made the revelation on UTV's United Showbiz on Saturday night during a discussion about allegations of rape against a school headmaster in Obuasi.

Mzbel said some victims of sexual abuse remain silent because they fear being blamed or labelled as bad children rather than receiving support.

“I am a victim of rape, and it wasn't once or twice,” she said, explaining that her experiences dated back to when she was a child living in Ivory Coast with her mother.

According to her, her mother relocated the family to Ivory Coast in 1983 because of famine in Ghana. During their stay, she said, she was sexually assaulted by a Senegalese man at whose house they regularly watched television.

Mzbel said she was between nine and 11 years old at the time but did not report the incident because the man threatened to stop her from visiting his house to watch television.

“I was very young. I remember it so well,” she said, adding that she feared she would be branded a liar if she reported the incident and the man denied it.

The musician also recounted other alleged sexual assaults, including incidents involving armed robbers, and said some religious leaders she trusted had attempted to abuse her, with some succeeding and others failing.

She explained that her childhood openness and willingness to speak freely did not mean she was a bad child, but that the environment in which she was raised discouraged victims from speaking about such experiences.

Mzbel said the fear of being judged often prevents victims from reporting sexual abuse, stressing the need to understand the challenges they face when deciding whether to speak out.

Her disclosure came amid public discussion of the rape allegations involving the Obuasi SHTS headmaster.