Karim Benzema’s lawyer denounces “an investigation against him” and requests the release of his client

It was on the third and last day of the trial that he was able to speak. Karim Benzema’s lawyer, Me Antoine Vey, denounced Friday, October 22, a “investigation charge” against the Real Madrid star. The day before, the prosecution requested 10 months suspended prison sentence.

The case was built on the “feeling” of the alleged victim Mathieu Valbuena, he argued during his plea, denouncing the “assumptions and speculations” advanced by the prosecution. Me Antoine Vey requested the release for his client.

“The intentional element of the offense” reproached to the 33-year-old striker, namely the complicity of attempted blackmail, is not characterized, he hammered at the bar. “One can wonder what really interests the French in this affair? The sex? The money? Football? Not the legal thing in any case”, he pleaded.

“We never said he was benevolent (…) but it is not a criminal offense”

Me Antoine Vey, lawyer for Karim Benzema

to AFP

Returning to the phone conversation between Benzema and his childhood friend Karim Zenati, in which both mock Valbuena after Benzema spoke to him, the lawyer admitted that the Real Madrid star was not “not in the most absolute contrition”.

Thursday during his indictment, the attorney Segolene Tides felt that the wiretaps prove that Benzema “is included in this team and is associated in this project” of attempted blackmail around an intimate video. In addition to the 10-month suspended prison sentence, the prosecution requested a fine of 75,000 euros against the striker of the France team, candidate for the Ballon d’Or and absent from the trial.

During other defense pleadings, Me Tewfik Bouzenoune, the lawyer for the intermediary Younes Houass (against whom the prosecution requested 18 months suspended prison sentence) also regretted that it was “the feeling of the victim which conditions the negotiations”.

The deliberation should be delivered in the afternoon. The prosecution requested sentences ranging from 18 months suspended to four years in prison against the four other defendants in this case.