Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred sentenced to 10 years in French rape case

A French appeals court in Créteil, southeast of Paris, on Saturday sentenced Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred to 10 years in prison after convicting him of rape, issuing a harsher penalty than the one handed down by the lower court.

Prosecutors said the court sentenced the 41-year-old Lamjarred to 10 years in prison, with immediate detention, after finding him guilty of rape under aggravated circumstances, including that the incident occurred while he was under the influence of alcohol. Prosecutors had previously requested an eight-year sentence.

Marie Bourgeborou, one of Lamjarred’s lawyers, said her client maintains his innocence and will appeal the verdict before the Court of Cassation, according to Agence France-Presse.

Meanwhile, David Shimy, a lawyer for the plaintiff, said the sentence could be explained in part by concerns raised about the defendant’s character, as well as what he described as an aggressive defense strategy toward the plaintiff.

He added that repeated challenges to the plaintiff’s statements, along with criticism of investigators and experts, left a negative impression on the jury, according to his statement.