Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has been charged with rape by London's Metropolitan Police.
The Ghana international midfielder, 32, is facing five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
"The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the Metropolitan Police to lay charges against a man following the submission of the investigation file by detectives," the official statement released by the Metropolitan Police on Friday said.
The reported events occurred between 2021–2022.
The charges involve three different women: two rape charges related to one woman, three rape charges related to a second, and one sexual assault charge related to a third woman.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “Our priority remains to provide support to the women who have come forward. We would urge anyone who has been affected by this case, or has information, to contact our team. Detectives can be contacted by email: [email protected]"
Jaswant Narwal, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the London North area, said:
“Today we have authorised the prosecution of Thomas Partey on several charges of rape – following careful consideration of a full file of evidence. Our prosecutors have worked closely with officers from the Metropolitan Police to review the evidence and provide appropriate advice on the charges brought. We recall that criminal proceedings are active and the defendant is entitled to a fair trial. We know that this matter will generate great public interest, but it is essential that there is no reporting, comment or sharing of information online that could negatively impact on the judicial process.”
Partey is expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on August 5 (Tuesday).
His contract with Arsenal ended on June 30, after a five-year spell with the London club.
The midfielder joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 for a fee of around £45.3 million and made 167 appearances for the club.
During the last season in the Premier League, he appeared in 35 matches and scored four goals, as Arsenal finished in second place./Express newspaper/
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