- As Sterling, Mahrez, others, mentioned as likely witnesses
Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy appeared in Chester Crown Court on Wednesday, where the eighth count of rape was read that he pleaded not guilty.
Mendy, who joined Manchester City in 2017 from Monaco for a sum circa 52 million pounds, had seven counts of rape in addition to a count of attempted rape and a count of sexual assault against him which he also denied.
Forgoing, the eighth count read to the France international in Chester Crown Court, made up the 10th charge against the 28-year-old which emanated from a new complainant.
According to reports from England, the tenth count charge had already been reported but was only brought to Mendy’s knowledge on Wednesday.
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However, jurors on Mendy’s case, selected through a thorough process from 38 persons, have been bombarded with questions about whether they are aware of five other Premier League footballers, Jones Stones, Riyad Mahrez, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, and Raheem Sterling, who were or are Mendy’s teammates and are probable witnesses or have their names mentioned in the case.
Inclusively, the names of the complainants numbering 12 were brought to the knowledge of the jurors, who asked if the former had any relationship with the Manchester United Police, Manchester City Police or Police forces according to Daily Mail.
Consequently, to pleading not guilty to all counts resulting from offences committed within an interval from October 2018 to August 2022, Mendy will stand trial alongside a co-defendant, Louis Saha Matturie, who has been handed 12-count charges, eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault relating to eight young women.
Matturie, a former Manchester United forward and forty years of age, allegedly committed these crimes between July 2012 to August 2021.
Although he pleaded not guilty to all the counts, he will be appearing in Chester Crown Court to prove his innocence.
Manchester City in a quick reaction, have suspended Mendy, who is on bail alongside Matturie, indefinitely.
