Ghana midfielder Partey pleads not guilty to additional rape charges

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to two additional counts of rape during a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on Monday.

The Former Arsenal FC star’s latest pleas mean he now faces a total of seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, all of which he denies.

The new charges will be tried alongside the earlier allegations, which had already been scheduled for trial later this year. However, the timeline may now be pushed back to early 2027.

Partey, currently with Villarreal CF, appeared in court dressed in black and declined to comment to reporters upon arrival. He was absent from Villarreal’s matchday squad for their recent La Liga fixture against Athletic Club.

The case has developed over several months. In September 2025, Partey entered not guilty pleas to five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving three women.

Earlier this year, in February, he was charged with two additional counts of rape relating to a separate complainant.

At a prior hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, the court imposed strict bail conditions. These include a ban on any direct or indirect contact with the new complainant, as well as requirements to inform authorities of any changes to his residence or travel plans.

Partey’s defence team has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. His lawyer previously stated that he has fully cooperated with police investigations and will not be making further public comments while the legal process is ongoing.

The 32 year old, joined Villarreal in August 2025 after leaving Arsenal at the end of his contract. Since then, he has made 26 appearances for the Spanish side this season.

Before his move to England in 2020 from Atlético Madrid, Partey had established himself as one of Europe’s top midfielders. During his time at Arsenal, he made 167 appearances and was a key figure in midfield.

The case remains ongoing, with all charges yet to be tested in court.

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Daraja Kapoor
Daraja Kapoor is a highly respected football journalist, editor and analyst, known for his compelling storytelling and sharp, data-driven insights into the game. He specialises in match analysis, features, emerging talent coverage and football trends across Africa.He holds a degree in English from the University of Cape Coast and has built a strong reputation in the media industry through his disciplined approach and deep understanding of football.Daraja received his journalistic training at leading news platform Ghanaguardian.com and has worked with some of the most prominent football websites in Ghana, including Footballmadeinghana.com and Ghanasoccernet.com. He also served as Sports Editor of Talysports.com, where he played a key role in shaping editorial direction and content strategy.He is currently the Managing Editor of African.Football, where he leads the platform’s editorial vision, overseeing content production, quality control and the delivery of authoritative African football coverage to a global audience.

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