Controversial Kick streamer Johnny Somali vows to quit streaming as Japan Court seeks  $1,400 USD fine

Johnny Somali promises to never stream again in the future after receiving fine of $1,400 following arrest

Controversial Kick streamer Johnny Somali vows to quit streaming as Japan Court seeks  $1,400 USD fine

Image via: South China Morning Post

Johnny Somali, the “Somali Pirate”, has been struggling with legal issues in Japan for months. In October 2023, Johnny was re-arrested for hosting an “unauthorized livestream” in a restaurant in Tokyo while live streaming on Kick. The Osaka Prefectural Police’s South Police Station had been investigating Johnny’s case.

The local police labelled him as an “online nuisance distributor”. Shortly following his arrest, there were rumors on the internet that Johnny Somali had been arrested for five years. However, these were soon disproved as the Japanese legal system is not quick enough to announce a sentence for someone who was only charged a month ago. Additionally, five years was an unrealistic sentence for such a crime.

YouTube video

Loud music constantly played from Johnny’s phone while in the restaurant. He was charged with “forcible obstruction of business” and would proceed to make an appearance in front of a Japanese court. The Kick streamer claimed that the music played automatically from his phone, and he could do nothing about it.

However, Johnny Somali chose not to stop his viewers from playing the music because he was incentivised for it. Additionally, Somalia has made many jokes about bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki while on stream, something that didn’t play well with the Japanese legal system.

Johnny Somali fined ¥200,000 by Japan court, quits streaming

Johnny Somali had been in pre-detention since his arrest two months ago and requested leniency from the court. He added that it was an embarrassing act that inconvenienced employees and customers. Furthermore, he promised never to record or distribute any such video in the future. The prosecution asked for a ¥ $200,000 fine, which translates to roughly $1,400.

Johnny Somali quits streaming
Image via: Kick/@JohnnySomali

Johnny Somali stated in court that he aimed to return home to complete his studies and try to be a role model for his family. Furthermore, he would step back from “video broadcasting” following his case. The Kick streamer even expressed a desire to return to the country. However, it is unclear whether he will be allowed back in or not. The verdict will be announced on January 10, 2024.

The case was concluded, and his previous charges for trespassing on a construction site were also dropped. Jeffrey Hall, a lecturer on Twitter, predicted that the verdict would result in a fine, no additional jail time, deportation from Japan, and barred re-entry. Japan has a 99% conviction rate. Hence, Johnny Somali’s likelihood of being found guilty is relatively high.

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