Moroccan Singer Saad Lamjarred Sentenced for Aggravated Rape
In a significant legal ruling, Moroccan pop singer Saad Lamjarred was sentenced to ten years in prison by an appeals court in Créteil, a suburb of Paris, after being found guilty of aggravated rape. This verdict, delivered on Saturday, reflects the serious nature of the charges stemming from an incident that occurred in 2016, involving a 20-year-old woman identified as Laura P. The court determined that Lamjarred had raped her in a hotel room in Paris following their meeting at a nightclub.
Lamjarred, who is 41 years old and enjoys immense popularity in Morocco and throughout the Arab world, had initially been handed a six-year prison sentence by a Paris criminal court in 2023. In that case, prosecutors sought an eight-year term during the appeal process, underscoring the gravity of the allegations against him. The court's decision also mandates that Lamjarred be listed in France's national sex offenders register, a measure that aims to monitor offenders post-conviction.
Despite the verdict, Lamjarred’s legal representative, Marie Burguburu, stated that the singer continues to assert his innocence and plans to appeal the decision to France's Court of Cassation, the highest court in the French judiciary system. The appeal trial was notably conducted behind closed doors and had been postponed in 2025 to allow for a more thorough investigation.
The case has been further complicated by allegations of an attempted €3 million extortion scheme concerning the victim. Earlier this year, five individuals were convicted for demanding money in exchange for retracting the complaint and preventing Laura P. from testifying. While Laura was acquitted, her mother, who is a lawyer, along with an influencer and two others, received suspended prison sentences for their involvement in the extortion scheme. Lamjarred's legal team has cited this extortion case in their efforts to challenge the latest verdict against him.
In addition to this recent ruling, Lamjarred is also appealing a separate five-year prison sentence that was imposed in May by a court in southern France, related to the rape of another young woman near Saint-Tropez in 2018. The legal troubles surrounding Lamjarred have garnered significant media attention, reflecting broader societal issues regarding sexual violence and the legal repercussions faced by public figures.
As reported by english.ahram.org.eg.
