US President rejects call to revoke Bill Cosby's Presidential medal over rape allegations

dimeji akinloye

July 15, 2015 11:50 PM

Obama rejected the call to revoke Cosby’s Presidential Medal of Freedom because of the allegations, saying there is no standard for revoking a medal.

President Barack Obama has reacted to veteran comedian, Bill Cosby’s drug and rape case, condemning the act and whoever perpetrates it.

At a news conference on Wednesday, July 15, Obama declined to speak on specific allegations against the humour legend because there are pending legal matters, but emphasised that "no civilised nation" should condone rape or rapists.

"There's no precedent for revoking a medal. We don't have that mechanism," he said.

He reiterated that having sex with someone without his or her consent is rape, which should not be tolerated in any society.

"If you give a woman, or a man, for that matter, without his or her knowledge a drug, and then have sex with that person without consent, that's rape," he said. "And I think this country, any civilized country, should have no tolerance for rape."

Court documents obtained by The Associated Press have revealed that Cosby acknowledged under oath in 2005 that he obtained Quaaludes to give to women with whom he wanted to have sex. The documents weren't clear on whether the women consented to being drugged.

More than two dozen women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct in the past four decades, and many of them alleged that he drugged them before sex.

The 77-year-old comedian, who has never been charged with a crime, has denied some accusations while declining to comment or respond to others.

A sexual assault awareness group has petitioned the White House to revoke Cosby's presidential medal, which was awarded to him in 2002 by President George W. Bush.

dimeji akinloye