Chris Brown, the Grammy-winning R&B singer, has pleaded not guilty to two additional charges related to an alleged assault that occurred at a London nightclub in February 2023. The 36-year-old Brown appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London where he denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) to music producer Abraham Diaw. He also denied one count of having an offensive weapon, specifically a bottle, in a public place.
These charges are in addition to a previous charge where Brown pleaded not guilty last month to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent to Mr. Diaw. Brown’s co-defendant, Omololu Akinlolu, 39, also pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting Mr. Diaw occasioning him actual bodily harm.
The alleged incident occurred at Tape, a private members' club in Hanover Square, Mayfair, on February 19, 2023. According to prosecutors, the attack was captured on surveillance cameras in front of a crowded club. It is alleged that Brown launched an unprovoked attack on Diaw, hitting him multiple times with a bottle before punching and kicking him. The "offensive weapon" Brown allegedly used was a bottle of tequila.
Diaw later sued Brown in November 2023, accusing the singer of inflicting "crushing blows" to his head. The lawsuit claimed that Diaw suffered lacerations on his head, torn ligaments in his leg, permanent damage, and severe emotional distress.
Brown was arrested in May on charges related to the incident and was held in custody for almost a week before being released on bail of 5 million pounds ($6.75 million), which allowed him to start his “Breezy Bowl XX” tour. Following a series of dates in Europe, he is scheduled to return to North America at the end of July, with performances planned in Miami and Toronto.
During the recent hearing, Brown, who was seen wearing a light brown suit, briefly waved to fans who were present in the public gallery. Brown's trial is scheduled to begin on October 26, 2026, and is expected to last five to seven days.
Brown rose to stardom as a teen in 2005 and has won two Grammy Awards for best R&B album in 2011 for “F.A.M.E.” and again for “11:11 (Deluxe)” earlier this year.
