A stampede left seven spectators and one police officer died during a packed concert by African music star Fally Ipupa at the biggest stadium in DR Congo’s capital, the police chief told official press agency ACP on Sunday.

“There were eight deaths including one police officer,” general Sylvain Sasongo said.

The Martyrs’ stadium has an 80,000 capacity and reports said it was absolutely full for the local favourite, with one witness saying “even the corridors” of the stadium were overflowing.

“It was a stampede,” that caused the deaths, a policeman on the scene told the official Congolese Press Agency. “The music lovers suffocated.”

The agency, which had reporters in the stadium covering the concert, said police had cordoned off three areas to secure the pitch, the VIP stand, and the stage.

“Under the pressure of the crowd, the police could not hold out long,” ACP said.

Singer-songwriter Fally Ipupa, “like all Congolese singers”, had arrived several hours after the show had been scheduled to start, the agency noted.

The Kinshasa-born 44-year-old is one of Africa’s leading musicians whose albums sold worldwide. (The Guardian)