The Paris Court of Appeals ordered a retrial of Moroccan star Saad Lamjarred for the rape of a young woman in 2016.
The court considered that the description of rape, not “sexual assault” applies to the case, which was referred in April 2019 to a misdemeanor court by a decision by an investigative judge, which reduced the charge against the Moroccan artist, reclassifying it under the category of “sexual assault” and “violence with aggravating reasons for the penalty.” “.
However, the investigation room in the Court of Appeals overturned this judicial order for the first time in January 2020, saying that there were “sufficient evidence to characterize the incident as rape,” a crime which the criminal court has the authority to consider. However, the Court of Cassation invalidated this decision due to a formal flaw in it, which is that the Chamber’s president did not sign it.
However, the Court of Appeal again ordered Saad Lamjarred to be tried before the Criminal Court on charges of “rape with aggravating reasons,” according to the request of the French public prosecutor, according to the judicial source.
If proven guilty, the singer, who can still review the Court of Cassation, could face a 20-year prison sentence.
Source: AFP