Thomas Partey Enters Plea of Not Guilty to Additional Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal player Thomas Partey has entered a plea of not guilty to two fresh allegations of rape. The 32-year-old midfielder appeared in court on Monday, denying the rape of a woman in London in December 2020. This development comes after Partey was charged in July last year with multiple counts of rape and a count of sexual assault, which allegedly occurred between 2021 and 2022. He had previously entered a plea of not guilty to these charges, with a trial initially set for November this year. Following the introduction of two new rape charges in February, the judge has decided that all allegations will be tried together, potentially delaying the trial until January next year. In total, Partey now faces seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, stemming from allegations made by four different women. During the hearing, Partey, dressed in formal attire, confirmed his identity and entered the not guilty pleas. Although he was absent from a previous hearing, his lawyer had indicated that a plea of not guilty would be entered. Partey, a key player for the Ghana national team, is expected to participate in the World Cup this summer. He is currently on bail, with the condition that he must not contact the alleged victims. The case is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on May 14, at which point a decision on the trial date will be made.