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Rabat – The Paris public prosecutor has asked for seven years in prison for Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred, as the star’s trial for rape allegations continues in France.
In addition, the court is also being asked to ban the singer from entering French territory for five years.
Lamjarred is on trial for allegedly raping a 20-year-old French woman at a luxury hotel in Paris in October 2016 while he was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.
The plaintiff accused Lamjarred of beating her several times as she rejected his advances, with further court statements indicating that she was seen leaving the hotel crying in a state of distress.
Lamjarred has maintained his innocence, however, saying that he does not believe the plaintiff is lying, but that she may have been “wrong.”
The singer claimed that he “never penetrated” Laura Prioul, the plaintiff, but that they “kissed repeatedly,” and that she allowed him to undress.
“I had a bad reflex that I regret today; I brutally pushed her face away. I am ashamed. No man should hit a woman,” he added, saying that the action was a reaction to her scratching his back.
The singer also apologized to the defendant directly in court.
The verdict in the case is expected to be announced on Friday, and the prosecution’s request of seven years is lower than the maximum sentence of 20 years.
Lamjarred is one of Morocco’s most popular musicians, with several of his tracks gathering hundreds of millions of views and making international charts.
