Prostitution case involving Karim Benzema and Franck Ribery dropped by French court

Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema

A French court has dropped the underage prostitution case involving French players Karim Benzema and Franck Ribery based on the grounds of “not enough evidence to prosecute”.

Bayern Munich midfielder, Ribery, had admitted that he had paid for sex with Zahia Dehar back in 2009, but denied being aware that she was younger than 18 at the time of the incident. On the other hand Karim Benzema is alleged to have met Ms Dehar in 2008 in a Champs Elysee  nightclub and to have taken her back to his hotel where he paid to sleep with her. However, he denied that there was any encounter.

Benzema’s lawyer, Sylvain Cormier, revealed he “could feel all the weight coming off”. He also added that the case had been “morally very trying” and described the decision as “the end of a nightmare” for his client.

Ribery’s lawyer Carlo Alberto Brusa stated that he was “very happy with the verdict”.

“We fought for him to be cleared without any stain . This acquittal is the end of a sad story.”

The players would have faced up to 3 years in prison if they had been convicted. Niether of the people involved were present during the hearing.