Comedian Chris Rock victim of practical joke in South Africa

Celebrity funny man Chris Rock was the victim of a practical joke while on tour in South Africa, after being pranked with accusations he had sex with a British minor, a prosecutor said Saturday.

“It was a hoax, it was for one of the US (United States) reality television programs,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Tlali Tlali.

The US comedian, who is on his “No apologies” tour in the country, was duped by rumors he was about to be arrested for sexually assaulting a minor in Britain.

“They pulled one on him, information got to him that the South African Police Service was going to arrest him. Acting on that information he quickly approached lawyers who brought an urgent application at the Johannebsurg High Court where judgement was in his favor,” Tlali told AFP.

Tlali said Rock had sought clarification on the charges to be brought against him.

A fake prosecutor, one of the cast members for the television show,appeared in court Monday urging that Rock be taken into custody,however the judge ruled he could not be arrested or detained without a proper warrant.

“This one went far, it must have been organized quite carefully,” said Tlali, who said when prosecutors discovered the following day it was a prank there were mixed reactions with some slamming it as a waste of time, while others saw the funny side.

It was not known which television show was behind the prank.