Globally recognised Nigerian-American artist, Kehinde Wiley has denied the sexual assault accusations made against him by Ghanaian artist, Joseph Awuah-Darko.
Although Kehinde did not deny any relationship with the Ghanaian artist, he said it was only a “brief consensual” relationship three years ago which did not involve any sexual assault.
He described the accusations as “false” and “not true” and only amounts to an “affront to all victims of sexual abuse.”
Kehinde Wiley added that there are litany of evidences showing his innocence in this matter and requested for privacy as he works to clear his name.
“I have no idea why he has decided to target me in this way – particularly when there is a litany of evidence showing his claims are false- but I hope he get the help he needs for whatever he is going through. I kindly ask for privacy as I work to clear my name,” he noted in an Instagram post.
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Prominent Ghanaian artist, Joseph Awuah-Darko had in a post on May 19 accused Kehinde Wiley of sexual assault back in 2021.
According to Awuah-Darko, he was sexually assaulted twice the same day by the celebrated artist, Kehinde Wiley.
He said the incidents occurred during a dinner held on June 9, 2021 by the Ghana Creative Art Council at the Noldor Artist Residency, an establishment he founded in 2020.
In an Instagram post on May 19, Joesph recounted the first assault, stating that Wiley had groped his buttocks while he was accompanying him and another guest upstairs to the bathroom.
“In the first assault, I was inappropriately groped by Kehinde Wiley who proceeded to grab my buttocks with his hand before then saying something along the lines of “What is this thing?”. This happened in front of another dinner guest, while I was politely ushering them both up flights of stairs to use the bathroom during said dinner,” Joseph Awuah-Darko wrote on Instagram.
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