The woes of Ghanaian footballer Thomas Partey have deepened as he faces additional criminal charges in the United Kingdom.
UK prosecutors have filed two new counts of rape against the 32-year-old, linked to a separate complainant.
Partey had earlier been charged in July with five counts of rape involving two women, as well as one count of sexual assault concerning a third woman. With the latest development, the allegations now involve four different women.
The new charges reportedly arise from a complaint lodged in August, leading London’s Metropolitan Police to reopen investigations into an alleged incident said to have occurred in 2020.
Partey is expected to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 13 March for an initial hearing. He has consistently denied all allegations. In September, he pleaded not guilty at Southwark Crown Court to the earlier charges and was granted conditional bail.
According to prosecutors, the offences listed in last year’s indictment allegedly took place between 2021 and 2022, during his time as a key figure in Arsenal’s midfield. He was formally charged shortly after his contract with the North London club expired at the end of June.
Investigations began in February 2022 after police received an initial report of rape. A full trial, expected to be heard before a High Court judge, has been scheduled for 2 November.
Since leaving the English Premier League, Partey has signed a one-year deal with Spanish club Villarreal. The move was confirmed during the summer, after charges had already been brought.
Partey joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in October 2020 in a high-profile transfer reportedly worth £45.3 million, becoming one of Ghana’s most expensive football exports. During his time under manager Mikel Arteta, he made 130 league appearances and was widely regarded as an important player for both club and country.
His lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, has maintained that her client rejects all allegations and is confident the judicial process will clear his name — a case many Ghanaians will be watching closely as it unfolds.
The case that has drawn significant attention both in England and back home in Ghana.
