By Anifowoshe Oladipupo
Former Arsenal and Ghana international Thomas Partey has been formally charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving three women, the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Aconfirmed on Thursday.
The charges relate to alleged incidents that took place between 2021 and 2022.
According to the CPS, Partey faces two counts of rape involving one woman, three counts with a second woman, and one count of sexual assault involving a third.
He is scheduled to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 5.
Jaswant Narwal of the CPS said the charges were approved after a detailed review of evidence in collaboration with the Metropolitan Police.
“We remind all that criminal proceedings are active and the defendant has the right to a fair trial,” Narwal added, urging the public to avoid commentary or online posts that could jeopardize the legal process.
Partey, born in Krobo Odumase, Ghana, joined Atlético Madrid in 2012 and later moved to Arsenal in 2020 for £45 million.
He made over 100 appearances for the Premier League side and was a key figure in their recent campaigns, including back-to-back second-place league finishes.
Injuries disrupted his time in England, but he rebounded with 52 appearances in his final season, helping Arsenal reach the semi-finals of both the Carabao Cup and Champions League.
Internationally, Partey has earned 53 caps for Ghana, scoring 15 goals.
