Manchester City left-back Benjamin Mendy has been pronounced not guilty of the rape of a 19-year-old woman which took place at his home in Prestbury, Cheshire, on July 24, 2021.
The court pronouncement took place under the direction of judge Stephen Everett at his Chester Crown Court trial on Tuesday, 13th of September, 2022.
The rape charge leveled against Benjamin Mendy happened on July 24; a week before another incident with Matturie, his co-accused, took place when the 19-year-old woman had alleged after a night clubbing she awoke at the footballer’s house to find Mendy raping her.
Matturie was accused of two rape counts, one of which happened the same night, July 24, 2021, as he was alleged to have raped the same woman according to DNA evidence, but the victim told the court she has “no memory” of that.
Benjamin’s co-accused, Louis Saha Matturie, age 41, was also cleared of two counts of rape and one of sexual assault against the same woman after the prosecution couldn’t submit further evidence against the defendants on those four counts they were cleared of.
Before the court sitting, the jurors were told of a private 20 minutes video of a 19-year-old woman (name withheld) having “enthusiastic sex” with Saha Matturie, when she claimed she was raped.
The woman had told the jury that Matturie sexually assaulted her for the second time at a flat in Salford on the 1st of August 2021 after clubbing at China White nightclub in Manchester.
However, the defendant’s lawyer, Lisa Wilding KC, told the jury at Chester Crown Court that what happened between the accused and the woman was, “consensual, willing and enthusiastic” sex and not rape.
Meanwhile, the woman refuted the defendants’ stance, claiming the sexual affair left her feeling “shamed and disgusted”.
The defendant lawyer continued to prove his points stating that the sex was mutual, the duo enjoyed it and they both consented to film it.
Ms Wilding said: “When you and he had sex … you and he filmed that sex. You know that you and he had a discussion beforehand, words to the effect, ‘Let’s make our own little movie’.”
The witness replied: “No. I wouldn’t do that.”
Ms Wilding added that the woman saw it while Matturie was filming the whole scene but she denied she was not aware.
Ms. Wilding said: “He had his phone right in front of you all the time you and he was having sex.”
The woman responded: “I was not aware of that.”
Ms Wilding said: “You looked directly at the camera more than once, enjoying what you were doing?”
The woman tearfully replied: “No.”
Ms Wilding continued: “The sex took nearly 20 minutes. You had sex initially on your knees. You then gave him oral sex, looking at the camera.
“Did you then sit on top of him, gyrating and smiling at the camera?” The prosecutor again refuted the claim and replied “no”.
Ms Wilding continued: “Well, then I’m going to have to ask you to look at some images.”
Afterward, the hearing was adjourned and when the court resumed after lunchtime, the prosecutor, Timothy Cray QC offered no further evidence, and legal not guilty counts were entered. Judge Stephen Everett ordered the jury to clear the defendants of those counts.
The Prosecutor thereafter maintained that Benjamin Mendy is a “predator” who “turned the pursuit of women for sex into a game”. While the prosecutor alleged that Matturie works with Mendy, he claimed the 41-year-old Mattuire’s job is to find young women for sex.
However, the 28-year-old Benjamin Mendy still faces seven counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, and one count of sexual assault against another six young women.
While Mendy’s co-accused Louis Saha Matturie still faces six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to seven young women. But both denied the accusations stating that if any sex did take place with women or girls it was consensual.
