Romanian Court Sentences Wiz Khalifa
American rapper Thomaz Cameron Jibril, professionally known as Wiz Khalifa, has received a nine-month prison sentence from a Romanian appeals court. This ruling follows his admission of smoking cannabis on stage during his performance at the Beach, Please! festival in Costinesti last year.
The court's decision reverses an earlier fine of 3,600 Romanian lei (£619; $829) that was imposed for drug possession. Jibril was sentenced in abstentia; his current location remains unconfirmed, with his last reported appearance being a performance in California on Tuesday.
Incident Details and Legal Charges
On July 13, 2024, law enforcement officials briefly detained and questioned Jibril after his concert. Prosecutors subsequently charged him with possession of "risk drugs" for personal use. Romanian investigators indicated that Jibril was in possession of over 18 grams of cannabis and consumed an additional quantity while performing on stage.
Court's Rationale for Sentence
The Constanța Court of Appeal judges justified their decision to overturn the initial fine by stating that the artist had "sent a message of normalisation of illegal conduct," thereby encouraging "drug use among young people." The court characterized the act as "ostentatious," emphasizing that a "music performer, on the stage of a music festival well known among young people," had "possessed and consumed, in front of a large audience predominantly made up of very young people, an artisanal cigarette."
Artist's Response and Extradition Prospects
Following the incident, Jibril posted on X (formerly Twitter), asserting that he did not intend to offend Romania and that authorities had treated him respectfully. He also indicated plans to return to the country in the future, without engaging in similar conduct.
Romanian criminologist Vlad Zaha commented on the likelihood of extradition, stating that it is "highly unlikely" that the United States would extradite Jibril. Zaha cited factors such as Jibril's financial status and connections, Romania's limited negotiating leverage on extradition, and the varying legal status of cannabis in the United States as reasons for this assessment.