LONDON (EFE).— Villarreal footballer Thomas Partey pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to the charges of rape and sexual assault brought against him by three women.
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The 32-year-old Ghanaian midfielder remains on
probation, which allows him to continue playing while the legal process advances. He was charged in July with
five counts of rape by two women and
one count of sexual assault filed by a third.
Partey appeared in the
Southwark court, in south London, after having played a Champions League match against Tottenham Hotspur with Villarreal. The hearing set the start of the trial for
November 2 of this year.
The reported events would have occurred between “2021 and 2022”, when the footballer was still playing for “Arsenal”. The player has denied all accusations against him.
In Tuesday’s match against Tottenham, Partey was the subject of
constant booing from the home fans, who heckled him during both the warm-up and the game, chanting songs alluding to the investigations against him.
After his contract with Arsenal ended last June and he failed to get a renewal, Partey signed as a free agent with Villarreal just four days after the accusations became public.
From the Spanish club,
respect for the principle of presumption of innocence was requested, although directors have made it clear that, if a conviction is confirmed, the player will not continue in the institution.
