The lawyers of the two French rugby players accused of rape in Argentina intend, this Friday, August 23, 2024, to submit a request for rejection to the courts of Mendoza (west), with the aim of allowing their return to France , one of them said Thursday of their defenders.
Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, both 21, are charged with aggravated gang rape. The events allegedly took place on the night of July 6-7 in a hotel room in Mendoza, 1,000 km from Buenos Aires, where the French XV had just played a test match against Argentina.
Mr. Rafael Cuneo Libarona intends to submit his request on Friday when all investigative procedures are completed, he explained to reporters at the Mendoza Judicial Center.
According to him, a few actions are still missing, including psychiatric expert results, which should be received during the day, he said.
The prosecution must decide on this request for dismissal. Then the judge in charge of the case calls a hearing to examine the request, which could take place in the middle of next week, Me Cuneo Libarona explained to AFP.
Different versions
A decision may come a few days later. But the plaintiff’s lawyers could then appeal any dismissal, he said.
“This legal adventure […] doesn’t deserve any more delays”assessed the Argentine lawyer, lamenting that the services of the Mendoza Public Prosecutor’s Office had been monopolized “for a month and a half” by this affair, to the detriment “other matters that are also important but less known”.
The complainant, a 39-year-old Argentinian who met the players at a nightclub and followed one of them to a hotel, says she has been subjected to rape and violence – “terrible violence” according to his lawyer. The accused admit sexual relations but confirm they were consensual and deny any violence.
After a few days in prison, the two players were placed in preventive detention under house arrest in Mendoza in mid-July. They spent nearly a month there before prosecutors ordered their release on misdemeanor charges ten days ago. “sufficient elements” according to him to justify continued preventive detention. But he ordered the players to remain in Argentina during training.
