Taiwo Atieno: Former Harambee Stars Striker Charged With Assault in England
- Taiwo Atieno has been charged with assaulting and controlling his ex-girlfriend, Keisha Buchanan
- Atieno appeared in court on Thursday, where the judge granted him conditional bail with a plea hearing set for August
- The 39-year-old played for English club Luton Town and represented Harambee Stars internationally
Former Harambee Stars striker Taiwo Atieno is facing multiple charges of alleged assault in the United Kingdom.
Source: UGC
What has Taiwo Atieno been accused of?
Atieno is accused of assaulting and controlling his ex-girlfriend Keisha Buchanan over a 13-year period.
Atieno appeared at the Harrow Crown Court in Southwark via a video link from Wormwood Scrubs prison to respond to the charges.
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Apart from the assault, the 39-year-old has been accused of coercive behaviour, including when she could shower, wear and go to the gym.
Atieno has further been accused of opening Buchanan's correspondence, controlling her finances and banning her from wearing red lipstick.
When did the alleged assault take place?
As Sky News reports, the court was told that the physical assault, which caused bodily harm, happened between January 2012 and January 2015. The coercive behaviour is said to have happened between December 2015 and May 2018.
The judge, Ian Bourne KC, granted him conditional bail but issued strict instructions that he should follow ahead of plea taking in August. The judge directed that Atieno must not enter the London Borough of Barnet and must surrender his passport.
"There must be no contact, either directly or indirectly, with the claimant Keisha Buchanan. This means any type of contact, whether by email or any other messaging system on social networks, no contact at all."
Source: Getty Images
When will the Taiwo Atieno trial start?
Plea-taking has been set for August 22, while the trial will start on April 13, 2026.
What has Taiwo Atieno said about the proceedings?
Atieno is yet to address the charges directly, but took issue with how it was reported, threatening to take legal action.
"The United Kingdom has long been respected for having one of the most robust justice systems in the world. However, recent media coverage about me has regrettably fallen short of upholding those high standards," he said on Instagram.
"I expressly and exclusively reserve all of my legal rights and remedies, to the fullest extent permitted under English law, against any individual or entity involved in publishing or disseminating false, misleading, or defamatory material about me."
Who is Taiwo Atieno's ex-girlfriend?
Buchanan is one of the founding members of the girl group, Sugababes, alongside Mutya Buena and Siobhan Donaghy.
She was sacked from the group in 2009 before returning in 2012.
Who is Taiwo Atieno?
Taiwo Leo Atieno is a retired professional footballer who was born in England. He played for several English clubs, including Walsall, Tamworth, Luton Town, Stevenage, and Barnet, among many others.
He also had a short stint in the United States, where he played for Puerto Rico Islanders and Rochester Rhinos.
He chose to play for Harambee Stars in 2009 but was at first denied a Kenyan passport after the then Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang wanted him to renounce his British citizenship first, as reported by Nation Sports.
He was later granted the passport in June of the same year, where he made his debut against Mozambique.
Does Taiwo Atieno come to Kenya?
Yes, the former striker is a regular in the country. He was recently spotted at the Nairobi Serena Hotel in March when the Football Kenya Federation unveiled Benni McCarthy as the new head coach.
He has previously served as the Kenya Premier League's Commercial Director, where he was in charge of raising resources for youth development under the former secretariat, led by Jack Oguda as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Taiwo Atieno urges Djed Spence to play for Kenya
In a related report, Atieno had urged Djed Spence to switch his nationality and play for the Harambee Stars.
Spence, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, was born to a Kenyan mother and an English father but is yet to show interest in playing for his maternal country.
The fullback was part of Tottenham's squad that won the Europa League this season.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
