A French court sentenced Moroccan pop artist Saad Lamjarred to five years in prison following his conviction in a sexual assault case involving a young woman.
During the sentencing hearing at the Draguignan Court, Lamjarred appeared visibly emotional upon the reading of the verdict, breaking into tears and embracing his wife and mother-in-law.
Notably, the court did not issue an immediate arrest warrant, as the artist had been appearing before the judiciary while out on bail.
The French prosecution had originally sought a 10-year prison sentence for the Moroccan singer. However, the court settled on a five-year term, alongside ordering Lamjarred to pay €30,000 in financial compensation to the plaintiff, in addition to €5,000 to cover legal fees.
The case dates back to 2018, in the southeastern resort town of Saint-Tropez, France.
Lamjarred had met a young woman working as a waitress at a local nightclub. She later accompanied him to his hotel, where she subsequently accused him of assaulting her inside his room.
The singer had previously spent approximately three months in pre-trial detention for the case, which has sparked widespread public debate since its inception.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
