Connect with us

International

US singer R. Kelly sentenced to 30 years in prison for s3xual offences

Published

on

R Kelly released on bail over sexual abuse charges

The embattled United States singer, Robert Sylvester Kelly aka R. Kelly, has been sentenced to 30 years imprisonment for sexually abusing children and women.

A jury in New York had in September last year convicted the 55-year-old R&B artist of racketeering and s3x trafficking crimes.

The Chicago native was also fined $100,000 (£82,525).

He also faces separate criminal charges in three other cases.

The music star was convicted for using his celebrity status and sphere of influence to lure women and children into unwanted s3x for over two decades.

At his sentencing on Wednesday, the US District Court Judge, Ann Donnelly, said the celebrity had used s3x as a weapon, forcing his victims to do unspeakable things and inflicting them with incurable diseases.

The sentence, she said, would act as a deterrent to others who were bent on committing similar crimes in the future.

READ ALSO: American singer R. Kelly found guilty of child trafficking, faces life in prison

Jurors at Kelly’s six-week trial in Brooklyn heard how he trafficked women between different US states, assisted by managers, security guards and other members of his entourage.

The court also heard how R. Kelly illegally obtained paperwork to marry singer Aaliyah when she was 15 in 1994, seven years before the singer died in a plane crash.

The certificate, leaked at the time, listed Aaliyah’s age as 18.

The marriage was annulled months later.

Federal prosecutors had recommended that R. Kelly be sentenced to more than 25 years in prison, given the seriousness of his crimes and the need to protect the public from further crimes.

But his lawyers called for a sentence of 10 years – the mandatory minimum for his conviction – or less.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now