Trial of Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred: the plaintiff describes the "nightmare" experienced
Moroccan star singer Saad Lamjarred insisted on the first day of his trial in France on his "great respect" for women.
AFP - BERTRAND GUAY
Text by: Marine de La Moissonnière Follow
3 mins
On the second day of the trial of Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred, the young woman who accuses him of having raped her in October 2018, began to be heard this morning by the Paris Assize Court.
She gave a very specific story.
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Barely arrived at the bar, Laura P. begins to cry.
She catches her breath and starts.
In a clear voice, the young woman of 27 years recounts this evening in a nightclub during which she met Saad Lamjarred.
“
I'm having fun.
We get along well.
So I agree to continue the evening with him
.
With friends, they are supposed to go to another Parisian nightclub, but end up in the room of the Intercontinental of one of them.
They have fun, dance, make noise... and decide to go somewhere else.
Direction the Marriott hotel on the Champs-Élysées, where the singer is staying.
Laura P. and Saad Lamjarred, who drank alcohol and took cocaine, leave together;
the others must join them, but will never arrive.
In the star's room, the couple begins to kiss "
voluntarily
", says Laura P. Suddenly, he pushes her to the ground, she hits her head.
He tries to kiss her again.
She refuses because she does not understand his violence, she says.
“
He then straddled me.
He tried to rub up on me.
I started crying.
I begged him to stop
”.
Laura P.'s voice breaks.
She cries when she recounts the beatings and the rape, then the beatings again.
When Saad Lamjarred stops, the young woman takes the opportunity to take refuge in the bathroom.
“
Marry me!
Marry me !
»
When she comes out, he is calm.
"
It was like two different people
," says Laura.
“
A caring, respectful person who worries about whether you are cold or thirsty;
and a haughty person who doesn't listen and likes to see people suffer
”.
While she gets dressed, Saad Lamjarred offers her 150 euros and a silver bracelet which she refuses.
“
Marry me!
Marry me !
“, then told him the singer.
"
I told him no, that we don't get married like that
".
He insists.
“
You will be happy, we will have children
”.
"
I had the misfortune to tell him it was a monster
."
The blows are raining down again.
To defend herself, Laura P. seized the singer by the throat;
him too.
“
I started seeing stars.
I thought it was over
, ”recalls Laura P., in tears.
She managed to free herself and flee.
Threats and insults from the singer's fans
Since October 26, 2018, Laura P.'s life has changed.
“
I am no longer me
,” said the young woman.
Anxiety attacks, false press articles, threats and insults from the star's fans.
She had to change cities and jobs.
At the end of a story of nearly 45 minutes, Laura P. returns to her seat.
Her mother hugs her tightly.
The young woman breaks down in tears.
Invited to speak by the president of the assize court, Saad Lamjarred has nothing to say.
A little later, he will change his mind and firmly deny having had sex with her.
“
I never ever ever penetrated Laura
,” he proclaims.
Then he adds, in Arabic: "
If something panicked her or scared her, it was not at all my intention".
► To read also
:
Opening in Paris of the trial of Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred, accused of aggravated rape
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