The Draguignan criminal court has been examining since Monday the accusations against Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred. The alleged events date back to August 2018, at a hotel near Saint-Tropez.
The proceedings are held behind closed doors, at the request of the plaintiff. A barmaid, then aged 29, alleges she was raped after meeting the artist at a nightclub in Saint-Tropez. The singer contests the facts and maintains the relationship was consensual.
The trial was initially scheduled for December 2025 before being postponed for health reasons. The plaintiff's lawyer, Dominique Lardans, denounced an overly long wait. Saad Lamjarred appears free under judicial supervision. He faces up to fifteen years in prison.
The artist was already sentenced in 2023 to six years in prison by the Paris criminal court in another rape case, which he also contests. He has appealed that conviction. The verdict in the Draguignan trial is expected by Thursday.
