Judge Stephen Everett announced it on Tuesday, for lack of sufficient evidence.
Article written by
Posted
Reading time : 1 min.
More than a month after its opening, the trial of Benjamin Mendy continues. Tuesday, September 13, one of the eight rape charges against the football world champion was dropped for lack of sufficient evidence provided by the prosecution, announced judge Stephen Everett.
His co-defendant, Louis Saha Matturie (unrelated to former France international Louis Saha) was also found not guilty of two rapes and a sexual assault on the same woman. The facts mentioned took place in July and August 2021.
Returning from the court’s lunch break on Tuesday, prosecutor Timothy Cray announced to the court that he was giving up seeking a conviction for the facts concerning victim number seven, who had been questioned in the morning. Judge Stephen Everett then ordered the jury to enter a verdict of not guilty on the relevant counts.
The 28-year-old French defender, suspended for a year by Manchester City, has been on trial since early August in Chester, northern England. He remains charged with seven rapes, one attempted rape and sexual assault against seven women. Louis Saha Matturie remains accused of six rapes and three sexual assaults. Both men deny all charges.