Award-winning kumu hula Howell “Chinky” Mahoe Jr. of Halau Hula O Kawaili’ula is among one of the several sexual abuse lawsuits filed this week amid claims of child sex abuse dating back to the 1990s .
In the lawsuit one Oahu man claims he was just a child when he was enrolled in Mahoe’s keiki hula class in 1994-1998 and allegedly Mahoe performed unwanted sex acts on him at his Kailua home, and during trips to the mainland.
Back in 1998 Mahoe was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to register as a sex offender after pleading no contest to the numerous charges of third degree sexual assault for a separate charge fo sexual assault on another vicitm.
This new claim is not part of the original conviction when four previous students accused that Mahoe sexually abused them and led to his 1998 conviction on sex assault charges. The boys in that charge were between ages 9 and 14 back in the mid 1990’s when they were members of his Halau.
There were other lawsuits filed last week also i nHawaii one involving athletes suing the Punahou School: Hawaii basketball standout Shawna-Lei Kuehu, and Bellator MMA flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane.
