R. Kelly’s daughter, Buku Abi, accuses the singer of sexually abusing her as a child

On By Yukito

October 12, 2024, 10:14 am

R. Kelly's daughter, Buku Abi, accuses the singer of sexually abusing her as a child

R. Kelly’s daughter, Buku Abi, accuses the singer of sexually abusing her as a child.

Photo: Alamy


The daughter of disgraced singer R. Kelly has accused the singer of sexual abuse as a child.

Buku Abi, 26, made the claim as part of the new two-episode documentary Karma: A Daughter’s Journey, accusing the singer of molesting her when she was around eight or nine years old.

R. Kelly, Robert Kelly, 57, was sentenced in June 2022 to prison for racketeering and sex trafficking after decades of avoiding prosecution on allegations of misconduct involving young women and children.

The disgraced singer was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being found guilty of creating a scheme to lure and sexually abuse young aspiring singers and underage children.

Abi first reported the singer’s alleged abuse to her mother in 2009, when she was around 10 years old.

The accusations come after fellow music heavyweight “P Diddy” made a sombre appearance in court for his trial date in a sex trafficking case.

Musical artist Buku Abi, whose real name is Joann Kelly and is the daughter of R. Kelly, was pictured on Monday, August 19, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Musical artist Buku Abi, whose real name is Joann Kelly and is the daughter of R. Kelly, was pictured on Monday, August 19, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis).

Photo: Alamy


“He was everything to me. For a long time I didn’t even want to believe it happened,” Abi said about her father during the documentary.

“I didn’t know that even if he was a bad person, he would do something to me,” she added.

Following the allegations, LBC has contacted R. Kelly’s lawyers for comment.

Prosecutors had previously demanded that the star be sentenced to at least 25 years in prison as part of a trial in which the star was sentenced to 30 years in prison just over two years ago.

Kelly’s lawyers made a last-ditch attempt to acquit the singer and seek a retrial after arguing that his client’s defense was ineffective and that prosecutors had “abused” the racketeering charge.

The application was rejected by the judge.

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A jury of seven men and five women previously found Kelly guilty of racketeering, with the charges based on the argument that the entourage of managers and associates who helped the singer meet girls – and keep them obedient and quiet – constituted a criminal enterprise.

Stock photo of R. Kelly. Taken by Miami Police Department, January 22, 2003 - Child Pornography Charges

Stock photo of R. Kelly. Taken by Miami Police Department, January 22, 2003 – Child Pornography Charges.

Photo: Alamy


Several accusers testified in terrifying detail during the trial, alleging that Kelly subjected them to perverse and sadistic desires when they were minors.

The ruling came after Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared before Judge Arun Subramanian in federal court in Manhattan on Thursday.

Upon entering the courtroom, he was seen hugging each of his lawyers.

His mother, Janice Smalls Combs, attended the hearing along with her daughters Chance, D’Lila and Jessie Combs.

He was indicted last month on racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges on allegations dating back to 2008.