Sailou Mballow, the 28-year-old Gambian singer known as Aya and former lead vocalist of the group Nobles, is facing multiple criminal charges in the United States after allegedly setting his vehicle on fire in an incident that damaged two homes and was linked to domestic troubles and suicidal statements.
According to a criminal complaint filed Thursday, Mballow faces four charges, including attempted arson of a building and criminal damage to property. The events unfolded Tuesday on Frederick Street in Oshkosh.
Court documents state that on July 11, Mballow’s wife contacted police. She reported that since his return from The Gambia, he had been acting strangely and had threatened to kill himself if officers responded to the home.
On Tuesday, Mballow visited the Oshkosh Police Department and requested to be deported to Gambia because of ongoing issues with his wife. Officers informed him they lacked the authority to carry out a deportation.
Shortly after he left the station, police were called to the couple’s residence. A vehicle was engulfed in flames that spread to the family home and damaged a neighboring property.
In a subsequent interview, Mballow told investigators he had used gasoline to ignite the car and then attempted to transfer the fire to the residence using articles of clothing. He said he had taken “the necessary steps as a husband” and, having run out of options, wanted to kill himself. According to the complaint, he stated he wished “to burn himself, his clothes, his car, the house, and everything to the ground so that they can leave that place and go somewhere in peace.”
Mballow was expected to appear in court to address the charges.
Before the incident, the singer had been in The Gambia working on new music projects.
The case remains under investigation.
