Former Harambee Stars Player Faces Eight Charges Relating to Sugababes Star and Ex-Girlfriend Keisha Buchanan

Former Harambee Stars forward Taiwo Atieno has been charged with eight offences involving his former girlfriend, Keisha Buchanan, spanning a period of around 13 years.

The former Luton Town player appeared via video link for his hearing from HMP Wormwood Scrubs wearing a suit and tie.

Taiwo Atieno, who played for Luton Town in the Conference Premier League between 2010 and 2011, was granted bail by Judge Ian Bourne KC during the Harrow Crown Court case on Thursday but was ordered to surrender his passport.

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"There must not be any contact either directly or indirectly with the complainant Keisha Buchanan. That means any form of contact, whether it be by email or other sort of social media messaging system, any contact at all," the judge said as quoted by Sky Sports.

Taiwo Atieno’s first charge is assaulting the Sugababes singer between 2012 and 2015 and causing her bodily harm.

The Brixton-born, London footballer has also been charged with having a controlling character towards his ex-girlfriend Buchanan between December 29, 2015 and May 1, 2018.

It is further alleged that Taiwo Atieno got access to Ms Buchanan’s correspondence without her permission, controlled her finances, restricted her gym and shower times, and forbade her from wearing red lipstick.

According to Sky Sports, the charge alleged that the acts caused Ms Buchanan serious alarm or distress, which had a substantial adverse effect on her usual day-to-day activities.

Taiwo Atieno was also accused of engaging in the behaviour at a time when he knew Ms Buchanan would be greatly affected by that.

On top of that, Taiwo Atieno also faces six charges of breaching a non-molestation order, including two instances where he allegedly shared information about Ms Buchanan with a third party online on July 18 and 20, 2024.

The former Harambee Stars player has also been accused of violating the order by sending emails to Ms Buchanan on August 2, November 19, December 19 and 23, 2024.

Taiwo Atieno is due to enter pleas on August 22, with his trials scheduled to begin on April 13, 2026.

Ms Buchanan rose to fame as one of the original members of the Sugababes alongside Mutya Buena and Siobhán Donaghy in 1998.

The group underwent several lineup changes over the years, with Buchanan remaining the final original member until her departure in 2009.

After reuniting with the original trio in 2011 under the name Mutya Keisha Siobhán, they successfully regained the rights to the Sugababes name in 2019 and have since continued performing, including a notable appearance at Glastonbury Festival in 2022.