Presented by the lawyers of the woman who accused the two French rugby players Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou of rape, a new medical report was rejected by the Argentine courts. The trial date is set for October 18.
The Argentine courts rejected, this Saturday, October 12, a new medical report presented by the lawyers of the woman who accuses the two French rugby players Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou of rape, AFP learned from a judicial source.
Indeed, last week, the alleged victim’s lawyers affirmed that the latter did not suffer from a bleeding disorder. This illness is invoked by the players’ defense to explain the bruises found on his body, while the complainant claims that these marks are the result of violence inflicted by the players.
His lawyers provided the prosecution with a document which relays the testimony of an independent hematologist. states that the complainant “did not suffer from the illness”, the prosecution requested a suspension of the hearing on Friday October 18.
But the Mendoza public prosecutor’s office responded that this statement by the hematologist was “not useful” and did not change the course of the case, according to the file obtained on Saturday by AFP.
A trial on October 18, a decision expected later
Consequently, the Mendoza public prosecutor’s office has kept the date of the hearing until October 18 where the request for dismissal filed by the players’ defense will be studied. However, the decision may be announced later.
On October 4, the Mendoza public prosecutor’s office decided to dismiss the case – that is to say the dismissal of the case before the trial – in addition to a request to the same effect made earlier by defense.
Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, both aged 21, are charged with aggravated rape committed in a meeting for alleged acts that occurred on the night of July 6 to 7 in a hotel room in Mendoza, where the XV of France was coming to play a test match against Argentina.
The two players have maintained from the beginning that the sexual relations with the complainant, met in a nightclub, were consensual. And they deny any violence, while the plaintiff’s lawyer spoke of “terrible violence” against her client, “savagely beaten”.
First detained then placed under house arrest, they were released in mid-August, then authorized to leave Argentina pending the end of the investigation. They returned to France on September 4, and have since resumed training in their clubs. Hugo Auradou played again in the Top 14 championship on October 5 with Pau.
