Thomas Partey Denies New Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to two fresh allegations of rape. The 32-year-old appeared in court to deny raping a woman in London on a specific date in December 2020. Previously, Partey had been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, dating back to 2021 and 2022, to which he also pleaded not guilty. A trial for these charges was initially set for November this year. The two new rape allegations were announced in February, and the court has decided to try all allegations together, potentially delaying the trial until January next year. Partey now faces a total of seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to allegations from four women. He was present in court, wearing a dark grey suit and smart black shoes, to confirm his name and enter the not guilty pleas. Partey is currently out on bail with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. The Ghanaian footballer is expected to play in the World Cup this summer as part of the Ghana national side. His case is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on May 14, where a decision on the exact trial date will be made once the trial judge is confirmed.