SEXUAL ASSAULT charges brought against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn are likely to be dropped by US prosecutors.
The AP cites an unnamed source familiar with the case as saying it is likely to be brought to an end during Strauss-Kahn’s court appearance tomorrow.
Chambermaid Nassifatou Diallo accused the Frenchman of assaulting her as she worked at the Sofitel hotel he stayed in during a trip to New York in May. He resigned from his IMF post after his arrest and has been unable to leave the US throughout the investigation and trial.
He denies the allegations.
Police said they found 32-year-old Diallo, originally from Guinea, a credible witness and say they found Strauss-Kahn’s semen on her uniform.
However, prosecutors were reportedly concerned about the credibility of Diallo as a witness after reports she was engaged in criminal activity. She is also alleged to have misrepresented her personal information on her asylum application.
Diallo said in media interviews that she allowed her name to be revealed because she wanted to be able to present her side of the story. She refutes accusations she was a prostitute.
Her lawyer Kenneth Thompson said she feels hurt, depressed and “abandoned by the Manhattan district attorney”. Thompson said that questions about his client’s credibility have left her feeling more investigated than Strauss-Kahn.
Diallo’s lawyers are due to meet with the District Attorney’s office today to discuss the case. Thompson interpreted the DA’s call for a meeting as a sign they were planning on dropping the charges.
- Additional reporting by the AP
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