Today, August 5, 2025, na big day for di former Arsenal midfielder, Thomas Partey, as e appear before di Westminster Magistrates’ Court for London to face serious charges wey dem bring against am.
Di Ghanaian footballer, wey be 32 years old, dey answer to five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, wey dem say happen between 2021 and 2022, involving three different women. Dis case don dey drag since February 2022, when police first get report of rape, and e don shake many pipo, especially football fans. For dis article, we go break down wetin happen for court today in simple pidgin, as e take go.
Wetin Happen for Court?
According to reports, Thomas Partey show face for court today, and e no waste time to deny all di charges wey dem put against am.
E appear for di Westminster Magistrates’ Court around 10 a.m. British Summer Time (BST), and di hearing no too long—some sources say e fit don finish in just few minutes. Dis one na di first hearing, wey be like di starting point for di legal process.
Dem no ask Partey to enter plea yet, but e don already make am clear through im lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, say e no guilty of any of di accusations.
Di court grant am conditional bail, meaning say e fit go free for now, but e get some rules to follow, like informing police if e wan travel outside di country and not contacting di complainants at all, whether directly or indirectly.
Di next hearing don dey set for September 2, 2025, and from wetin we hear, di full trial fit no start until 2026, so dis case go still dey on for long.
Sky News and other sources report say Partey dey stand firm say e no do anything wrong, and im lawyer talk say e dey “welcome di opportunity to finally clear im name.”
Dis case don dey on for three years now, and e don cause plenty talk, especially as Partey continue to play for Arsenal during di investigation until im contract end on June 30, 2025.
Wetin Di Charges Be?
Di charges against Partey no be small matter. Dem say e commit five counts of rape—two against one woman, three against another—and one count of sexual assault against a third woman.
Di incidents, according to di Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), happen between April 2021 and June 2022. Di Metropolitan Police, wey start di investigation after dem receive report of rape in February 2022, say dem dey focus on supporting di women wey come forward with di allegations.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, wey dey lead di investigation, talk say, “Our priority remain providing support to di women wey don come forward,” and e encourage anybody wey get information about di case to reach out to dem.
Wetin Fans and Activists Dey Say?
Outside di courtroom, some pipo from Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence (ASASV) stage silent protest, holding banner wey read, “Arsenal said: ‘We do di right thing’, then did nothing.” Dem dey vex say Arsenal allow Partey to continue playing even when dem know about di investigation.
Some fans and groups like Level Up, wey dey fight for gender justice, don dey call for football clubs to get strict policies on how to handle players wey dey face serious allegations like dis. Dem feel say clubs like Arsenal no do enough to show support for victims or to set good example.
On X, plenty pipo don dey talk about di case. Some users, like @ultimate_kombo and @Listo_Mens, post say Partey don deny di charges and get bail, and dem hope say if e no guilty, di pipo wey accuse am go face consequences.
Others, like @cdrafrica, confirm di next hearing date and say Partey dey stand by im claim of innocence. But di posts also show say pipo get different opinions—some dey support Partey, while others dey question why e no dey suspended during di investigation.
Wetin Dey Next for Partey?
Even with di court case, Partey dey move forward with im football career. Reports say e don complete medical tests with Villarreal, a La Liga club, and e dey set to sign two-year contract with dem.
Dis move don cause some wahala, as Villarreal fans, including dia supporters’ club president, Borja Pena, no too happy about signing player wey dey face such serious charges. Some fans even talk say dem fit boo am if e play, whether e guilty or not.
Arsenal go face Villarreal in pre-season friendly on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, so di timing of dis transfer dey raise eyebrows.
Wetin We Fit Learn?
Dis case don spark plenty debate about how football clubs and di sport in general handle serious allegations like rape and sexual assault. Di fact say Partey play for Arsenal throughout di investigation, even as dem know about di case, don make pipo question di club’s values and di lack of clear rules from di Premier League and Football Association (FA).
For now, Partey dey free on bail, but di road to di full trial still long, and e go continue to be hot topic for football and society. As di CPS don warn, make nobody post or share anything wey fit spoil di case, so Partey fit get fair trial.