Woman who accused French rugby players of rape testifies for second time

The woman who has accused Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, two rugby players from the French national team, of aggravated rape, testified for a second time on Tuesday in Mendoza. 

“It was mostly clarifications that were necessary, since the main testimony was taken on July 7," explained lawyer Natacha Romano, the complainant’s legal counsel, to the media at the end of the court proceedings.

The hearingy lasted over four hours and the complainant’s lawyers were present, as was her brother, who was exceptionally allowed in to support her.

Another lawyer for the accusing party, Mauricio Cardello, also attended, as did the defence, headed by Rafael Cúneo Libarona. 

The woman has accused Auradou and Jegou, both aged 21, of beating and raping her on several occasions in their hotel room in Mendoza, where she went after they met at a bar.

“There were no cracks in her account,” added Romano, who claimed that “the defence’s questions were very succinct."

“She was made to listen to audio files, which is allowed regardless of the revictimisation of the moment itself, but she was able to explain each one of them very calmly,” Romano added.

However, Cúneo Libarona alleged that “there were remarkable contradictions” between the complainant’s testimonies “and, even worse, different versions were accommodated (...) the Prosecution noted certain contradictions between her first and second testimonies very easily."

“The rugby players’ innocence was proven, I can’t give any details out of respect for the investigation,” added the defence attorney who highlighted that his client have been in custody “for 20 days now."

The two players, who are under house arrest, will be interviewed on Thursday.

“They will answer the judge’s questions, those of the complainant, or ours, absolutely everything,” said Cúneo Libarona.

Arrested on July 8 in Buenos Aires, the players were transferred to Mendoza on July 11 and charged the following day. They left the detention centre on July 17 to be placed under house arrest.

Both players claim that the sexual intercourse was consensual and they deny any violence. 

The alleged victim had 15 “injuries” on her body, as confirmed to AFP by Martín Ahumada, spokesman for the Mendoza judiciary, where the events took place.

"They are 15 marks, we call them ‘injuries.’ What could not be determined wa whether they are blows," said Ahumada.

The injuries were included in a report made by a forensic body on Sunday, July 7, the date the victim reported Auradou and Jegou.

“She had marks on her back, bite marks, scratches, blows on her chest, legs and ribs,” Romano had said while being interviewed by AFP on July 11.

She also said that Auradou had punched her client in the face.

One of the players’ lawyers, Antoine Vey, claimed that the 15 marks is “total fake news” and that “the complainant’s lawyer disseminates extrapolated information that is out of context,” in a French television interview.

– TIMES/AFP