A French court adjourned, on Monday, the trial of Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred, accused of rape in Saint-Tropez in 2018, for at least six months, after a decision issued by the court president for health reasons.
The trial was scheduled to begin this afternoon and last for three days, but Lamjarred, 40 years old, did not attend the session. The judge issued a decision to keep the artist under judicial supervision until a new date for the trial is set, which was originally scheduled until June 2026. Lamjarred faces charges of raping a woman he met in a nightclub, while the artist denies these accusations, confirming that the relationship was consensual. Laboratory tests related to alcohol showed varying percentages in the blood of both parties, which is considered part of the evidence presented before the judiciary. This is the second postponement within this year, as another trial for him in Paris in 2016 was previously postponed, after he appealed the first-degree ruling against him. Some of the alleged individuals involved with the plaintiff also face charges of attempted extortion against Lamjarred, in an attempt to obtain a sum of money in exchange for withdrawing the complaint. For its part, the artist's defense team expressed its understanding of the postponement decision, but expressed its regret for the continued postponement of the final decision in the case for several more months, despite the public prosecution's request not to prosecute for more than four and a half years. The Saad Lamjarred file continues to arouse legal and public interest, amidst close follow-up from French and Arabic media, pending the final judicial decision on all pending files against the artist.
