June 26, (THEWILL) – French footballer, Benjamin Mendy, made a court appearance on Monday, in the UK for a retrial concerning two alleged sexual offences.
The Manchester City player arrived and departed from Chester Crown Court in northwest England, where he faces charges of one count of rape and one count of attempted rape. The retrial is set to commence on Tuesday, after the selection of a new jury. In the previous trial, which concluded in January, the jury failed to reach a verdict on these two charges, despite clearing Mendy of six other counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving four women.
The 28-year-old, whose contract with City expires this month and is unlikely to be renewed, has consistently denied all charges against him. After the not guilty verdicts were announced in January, Mendy expressed relief, covering his face with his hands and gently swaying. His lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, stated his client’s delight at being acquitted of most charges and his determination to clear his name regarding the remaining two accusations.
Mendy was accused alongside Louis Saha Matturie, aged 41, who was described as an alleged “fixer” and faced charges of rape. However, the jury acquitted Matturie of all three counts related to two teenagers. Furthermore, they could not reach a verdict on three counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault against Matturie brought forward by five other women.
Matturie will face a separate retrial later this year. The prosecution alleged that Mendy, facilitated by Matturie, acted as a sexual “predator,” engaging in non-consensual sexual activities with young women at parties hosted in Mendy’s luxury home. Both Mendy and Matturie have denied these allegations, asserting that any sexual encounters were consensual.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
