Thomas Partey Denies New Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has entered not guilty pleas to two fresh allegations of rape. The 32-year-old midfielder appeared in court on Monday to deny the charges, which stem from an incident in December 2020. Partey had previously been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, dating back to 2021 and 2022, and had also pleaded not guilty to those charges. The new allegations, announced in February, will be tried together with the existing ones, with a trial date potentially set for January next year. Partey, who now plays for Villarreal, has been released on bail with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. He is expected to be a key player for Ghana in the upcoming World Cup. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for May 14, at which point a decision on the trial date will be made.