In his trial at Chester Crown Court today, Benjamin Mendy was found not guilty of one count of rape.
The 28-year-old Manchester City player was exonerated of raping a 19-year-old lady at his Prestbury, Cheshire, house on July 24 of last year.
On the judge’s instruction, co-accused Louis Saha Matturie, 41, was also found not guilty of two charges of rape and one count of sexual assault against the same lady.
After the prosecution presented no additional evidence and formal not guilty verdicts were entered, Judge Stephen Everett instructed the jury to exonerate the defendants on those counts.
Timothy Cray KC today informed the court that the four counts against the ladies, who are referred to in court as (Woman Seven,) were no longer being pursued by the prosecution.
One of the plaintiffs claimed that on the same day in July 2021, Mr. Mendy and Mr. Matturie sexually assaulted her. She further claims that in August 2021, Mr. Matturie sexually assaulted and raped her.
Multiple alleged sexual offenses against both men are still being tried in court. Eight counts of rape against five women, one allegation of attempted rape, and one count of sexual assault have been brought against Mendy.
The alleged offenses, involving a total of seven women, are said to have occurred five times at his Cheshire estate between October 2018 and August 2017.
