(FILES) In this file photo taken on August 07, 2021 Manchester City’s Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva (L) and Manchester City’s French defender Benjamin Mendy (R) run with the ball during the English FA Community Shield football match between Manchester City and Leicester City at Wembley Stadium in north London on August 7, 2021. Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has been charged with rape and sexual assault, police have said. The 27-year-old, who also plays for the French national team, is due to appear in court on August 27 charged with four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, a spokesman for Cheshire Police said.,Image: 628905332, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NOT FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING USE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, Model Release: no, Credit line: Profimedia
Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy was officially charged on Thursday with rape and sexual assault, allegedly in Cheshire, northwest England, between October 2020 and August 2021, after three young women over the age of 16 filed complaints. Benjamin Mendy has been detained and will remain in police custody until at least Friday, when he will appear before judges.
The 27-year-old defender is facing four counts of rape and one of sexual assault, Cheshire police said.
In a statement published on the club’s website, Manchester City states that Benjamin Mendy was suspended until the investigation is completed. “The matter is the subject of a legal procedure and, therefore, the club cannot make further comments until this process is completed,” the club’s statement said.
The left-back has been playing since 2017 for last season’s Premier League champions. He was transferred from Monaco for £ 52 million, a record amount for a defender at the time.
The footballer is also part of the French national team.
This is not the first time that international football stars have been charged with rape.
In March this year, Robinho, the former Brazilian footballer from Real Madrid, Manchester City and AC Milan, was sentenced on appeal by an Italian court to 9 years in prison with execution for rape. And the great Cristiano Ronaldo faced such accusations, yes he was acquitted in 2019 by the American justice, because the accusations could not be proven.