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Thomas Partey Pleads Not Guilty to Rape and Sexual Assault Charges

By Kamal Yalwa – Wednesday, 17 September 2025 LONDON – Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of rape and sexual assault during a hearing at Southwark Crown Court. The 32-year-old, who now plays for Spanish side Villarreal, is facing five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to alleged incidents involving three women between 2021 and 2022, during his time as an Arsenal player. Partey appeared in court on Wednesday for a 14-minute hearing, speaking only to confirm his name, date of birth, and enter his not guilty pleas. His trial is scheduled to begin on November 2, 2026, and will be presided over by a High Court judge. Judge Christopher Hehir acknowledged the lengthy delay, citing a significant backlog in the Crown Court system. Partey remains on bail under existing conditions, including restrictions on contacting the alleged victims and requirements to report any permanent address changes or international travel. Partey was initially arrested in July 2022, though he was not publicly named at the time. He continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing, with his contract expiring on June 30, 2025. He was officially charged on July 4. Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta previously stated the club was “100 per cent sure” all proper procedures were followed during the investigation. A club spokesperson confirmed that Partey was no longer under contract and declined further comment due to ongoing legal proceedings. His court appearance came just a day after he featured as a substitute in Villarreal’s Champions League match against Tottenham Hotspur in London. Partey joined Arsenal from Atlético Madrid in 2020 in a £45 million deal. He made 35 Premier League appearances last season, scoring four goals, and has earned over 50 caps for Ghana, representing the national team at both the World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations.

PSG Defender Achraf Hakimi Faces Preliminary Rape Charges in France

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago03 mins

By Kamal Yalwa: August 1, 2025 Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco international defender Achraf Hakimi has been handed preliminary charges of rape by French authorities, following allegations made by a 23-year-old woman. The Nanterre prosecutor’s office confirmed on Friday that an investigation was opened after the woman approached police with her accusation. Although she declined to formally press charges, the seriousness of her account prompted prosecutors to launch an inquiry. Hakimi, 24, was questioned by investigators on Thursday before being indicted by an examining magistrate and placed under judicial supervision, a status that allows for continued investigation under French law. He is currently barred from contact with the alleged victim but is not restricted from leaving France, according to prosecutors. Under France’s legal system, preliminary charges indicate sufficient grounds to suspect a crime may have occurred, but further evidence is required before any trial can proceed. Hakimi has denied all allegations, and his lawyer, Fanny Colin, released a statement suggesting that the player is the victim of an attempted “racketeering” scheme. “The alleged victim refused to press charges, refused medical or psychological examination, and refused to confront Mr. Hakimi directly. The accusations are solely based on her account,” Colin said. “Being charged gives Mr. Hakimi the opportunity to access the full case file and defend himself fully,” she added. Paris Saint-Germain and the player have yet to issue official public statements, though sources told ESPN that Hakimi will be available for PSG’s Ligue 1 clash against Nantes on Saturday, despite recovering from a recent leg injury. The development comes just days before PSG’s crucial Champions League round-of-16 second leg against Bayern Munich and shortly after Hakimi was named in the 2022 FIFPRO World XI during the FIFA Best awards held in Paris. Hakimi joined PSG in 2021, playing a key role in the club’s Ligue 1 title win and Morocco’s historic run to the World Cup semifinals in Qatar.

Top Boy Actor Micheal Ward Charged with Rape and Sexual Assault

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago03 mins

British actor Micheal Ward, known for his role as Jamie in the Netflix hit series Top Boy, has been charged with multiple sexual offences, including two counts of rape. The 27-year-old has also been charged with two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault, all relating to a single alleged victim. The offences are reported to have occurred in January 2023 . Ward, who lives in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, is scheduled to appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on 28 August, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). In a statement released through his representatives, Ward denied the allegations, saying, “I recognise that proceedings are now ongoing, and I have full faith that they will lead to my name being cleared.” Catherine Baccas, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS London South, emphasised the seriousness of the matter: “We remind all concerned that proceedings against the suspect are active and he has a right to a fair trial. It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.” Detective Superintendent Scott Ware, who is overseeing the Metropolitan Police investigation, stated that specialist officers continue to support the complainant. Ward rose to fame with critically acclaimed roles in Blue Story, The Old Guard, and Empire of Light. He was awarded the BAFTA Rising Star in 2020 and received Best Supporting Actor nominations for his performances in Small Axe (2021) and Empire of Light (2022). He is also set to appear in the upcoming American film Eddington, starring alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, scheduled for release in the UK this August. Beyond acting, Ward has a significant public profile, with over a million followers on Instagram. He participated in last year’s Soccer Aid charity match and gave a reading at the Christmas Eve carol service hosted by the Princess of Wales in 2023.

Ex-Barca star, Dani Alves, Release From Prison

Fola Badmus6 months ago6 months ago03 mins

The top court in Spain’s Catalonia region on Friday overturned Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves’ rape conviction, saying the case against him had inconsistencies and contradictions. The 41-year-old defender was convicted last year of raping a woman in the restroom of a Barcelona nightclub in 2022 and sentenced to 4-1/2 years in prison. “Dani Alves is very happy. He is innocent, that is demonstrated. Justice has spoken,” Ines Guardiola, lawyer for the former Barcelona, PSG and Juventus player, told RAC1 radio. Two former power houses of world soccer, former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and France soccer great Michel Platini, were cleared of corruption charges on Tuesday. In its appeal ruling, the Catalan high court said the accuser’s testimony lacked reliability over facts that could be objectively verified through video, “explicitly indicating that what she recounted does not correspond to reality”. “The inadequacies of the evidence lead to the conclusion that the standard required by the presumption of innocence has not been met,” it said, noting “a series of gaps, inaccuracies, inconsistencies and contradictions concerning the facts, the legal assessment and its consequences”. Alves had already been released from prison on a 1 million euro ($1.1 million) bail while awaiting the appeal. He may now leave the country as the Catalan court lifted all restrictions, including a travel ban and restraining order, plus the payment of compensation. The court said that the alleged victim’s argument that she went with Alves into the restroom for fear that his friends might follow them did not appear reasonable, concluding that she instead “voluntarily went to the bathroom area for the purpose of being with the defendant in a more intimate space”. It added that CCTV footage did not allow any inference about whether she consented to the subsequent interaction or not. Ester Garcia, the accuser’s lawyer, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The regional prosecutor’s office declined to comment. The decision can still be appealed to the Supreme Court.