Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema set to face trial over allegedly soliciting a minor in 2010
According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, Real Madrid’s sensation, Karim Benzema and Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery will be liable to face a trial in France amidst accusations of soliciting the then 16-year-old, Zahia Dehar.
Despite the prosecutor officer’s argument against pursuing the case, the trial will go ahead at the behest of the magistrate. The duo’s legal counsels have expressed dismay at the judge’s decision to continue with the case.
Apart from the attacking duo, six other people and a nightclub suspected of providing underage prostitutes and serving as a base for them, are all going to be put to trial, in alleged aggravated pimping.
Zahia Dehar, now 20, accused the French duo of having s*x with her. According to the complainant, Karim Benzema paid her for s*x in 2008 followed by Franck Ribery who flew her to Munich the following year. The two accused though, have denied the claims.
It is pertinent to mention here that, Zahia has on record, in press and in courts, asserted the fact that the attacking duo indeed did not knew of her being under-age, nor did she bothered telling them about it. This particular aspect could well rid the
men in trial out of the chaos they found themselves in.
And it is at the behest of this reason that the prosecutor’s plead to squash the case was lodged in the court. The magistrate Mr. Dando, however, held the opposite view, and is all geared to pursuit the case.If found guilty, the two can be imprisoned for
3 years or could well face a hefty 35,000 pound fine.
However, the lawyers of the two hold a firm belief that they can quash any accusation pointed at their clients in a befitting manner.
The scandal, which reportedly came to limelight in the April of 2010, made headlines in the newspapers, as the French national team was preparing to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2010.
The surfacing of an ill-timed scandal is deemed by many as one of the reasons behind the lackluster performance of France in the mega event.
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