Local content creator Kiki Darling has resigned from his role in director Jack Neo’s upcoming film Ah Boys To Firefighters after his past sexual assault conviction resurfaced online.
Kiki, whose real name is Hari Kishen Balakrishnan, had been cast as one of the film’s four new leading men.
His past conviction came to public attention after a video by content creator S Subhraaj went viral online, identifying Hari as the man previously convicted of sexually assaulting a male friend who was drunk and almost unconscious.
In 2021, CNA reported that Hari, who was then 20, pleaded guilty to one count each of sexual assault by penetration and making an obscene film, while another charge of molestation was taken into consideration for sentencing.
The court heard that Hari sexually assaulted his 23-year-old male friend, who was almost unconscious after drinking. Hari also recorded seven video clips of the sexual acts involving the victim, which were later deleted but recovered by police during forensic investigations. Hari was arrested the day after the offence and sentenced to at least six months’ reformative training, a rehabilitation programme for those below the age of 21 who commit relatively serious crimes.