Friday, June 6, 2025 - A British-born footballer and ex-boyfriend of Sugababes singer, Keisha Buchanan, has appeared in court ahead of a trial next year over allegations he assaulted, harassed, and controlled her.
Taiwo Leo Atieno, 39, who once played for Luton Town and the
Kenyan national team, is accused of repeatedly assaulting the singer, banning
her from wearing red lipstick, and controlling her every move, from what she
ate to when she could shower.
The alleged abuse, which included three physical assaults is
said to have occurred between 2015 and 2018.
The singer, now 40, told police the ex-pro striker also
dictated her finances, her diet, her personal grooming, and even her TV choices
– in what prosecutors described as an 'oppressive and controlling
relationship'.
Today, at a preliminary hearing at Southwark Crown Court,
Atieno was granted bail under strict conditions ahead of a five-day trial set
to start on April 13 next year.
Appearing via video link from HMP Wormwood Scrubs, he spoke
only to confirm he understood the conditions of bail.
Atieno must surrender his passport, abide by a strict curfew
and live at his home address until his trial.
He is also forbidden from leaving England and Wales,
applying for any travel documents, or having any contact whatsoever with Ms
Buchanan — including via email or social media.
The court heard that a £10,000 surety had been offered by
Mark Taylor, a friend of Atieno's for 25 years. He will also remain subject to
a GPS-monitored exclusion zone covering the London Borough of Barnet.
Atieno, of Kennington, south-west London, appeared at
Willesden Magistrates' Court last month, where he denied all the allegations.
During the May 8 hearing, prosecutor Edward Kalber told the
court: 'This defendant has conducted a campaign of terror and abuse against
this complainant for over ten years.
'While she lived with him, she wasn't allowed to open her
own letters or control her finances. She had to ask for money when she wanted
it. He dictated when she could shower or use the gym, what she could watch, and
what she could eat.'
The court also heard Atieno berated Buchanan over her
appearance, allegedly branding her 'trashy' and comparing her to a prostitute
when she wore red lipstick.
One alleged assault, said to have taken place in his
bedroom, left her with a sharp pain in her lower back – 'like a kick', she
claimed.Another alleged incident occurred in the front room of their shared
home.
Kalber added that Atieno harassed the singer even after the
relationship ended, breaching court orders by sending her repeated emails over
a three-year period and even demanding £25,000.
The couple first met in 2006 and began dating in 2011.
Buchanan, a founding member of the Sugababes alongside Mutya
Buena and Siobhán Donaghy, rose to fame in the early 2000s with a string of
chart-topping hits including Push The Button and Round Round. The girl group
disbanded in 2011 but later reunited.
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