Pogba case: “This is not Paul Pogba's trial”, the civil party's reminder

The trial on the attempted The extortion and kidnapping of Paul Pogba opened this Tuesday, November 26 &agrav; Paris.

More than two years after the case, the Pogba trial opens in Paris this Tuesday, November 26, in order to shed light on the events that took place on the evening of March 19, 2022 in Seine-et-Marne, when world champion Paul Pogba found himself facing armed men demanding a large sum of money from him. The hearing, which is scheduled to last a week before the sixteenth chamber of the criminal court, will cause damage and Paul Pogba has already launched hostilities in an interview a few days ago. “Money changes people, “it can destroy your family”.

What happened during that famous evening in March 2022

On March 19, 2022, Paul Pogba is in France for a gathering of the French team. The international is heading to Roissy-en-Brie (Seine-et-Marne) to visit his childhood friends. Paul Pogba is from the family of Boubacar C. and Adama C., who are now on the defendants' bench. When dinner ends, the former Manchester United player leaves the place with three other “childhood friends”, in order to join a rented apartment by Adama C. à Montevrain. It is in this accommodation that Paul Pogba finds himself face to face with his five close friends. According to the file, between 00:46 and 06:13, all the protagonists, including Paul Pogba, turn off their telephone lines and hand them over to Roushdane K..

A “heated discussion” then began, according to the court file. The player's five friends made several reproaches to him and claimed to have been “let down”. They felt that they should be paid for this service because Paul Pogba had been “protected”.

Two hooded, armed men wearing bulletproof vests then enter the room. They are introduced by Roushdane K. as “his protectors” against “bandits” who want to extort or kidnap him. The two men then point their weapons at the French international before demanding the handover of 3 million euros in cash and 10 million euros by transfer. “Under threat, the player agrees to pay”, the court file states. Released in the evening, Paul Pogba returned to the Le Meurice hotel in central Paris. The next morning, he contacted his bank to make a transfer of 11 million euros, which was refused. He received repeated pressure for weeks.

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The role of Mathias Pogba

According to the investigation, although his brother was not present at that famous evening, he would have put pressure on Paul Pogba in order to obtain payment of the amount demanded. On September 23, 2022, videos were published on social networks in order to encourage the player to pay the amount demanded. In front of investigators, Mathias Pogba claims that he had no intention of putting pressure on his younger brother.

What the accused risk

Presumed innocent, Mathias Pogba risks seven years in prison and several thousand euros in fines. Five defendants are also indicted in this case on the following counts

• "organized extortion committed with a weapon"
• “arbitrary arrest, kidnapping, sequestration or detention of a hostage to facilitate a crime or offence, followed by release before the seventh day for preparing or facilitating a crime or offence committed by an organized gang”
• “participation in a criminal association with a view to preparing a crime”.

Already under judicial supervision, the defendants risk up to ten years in prison and a fine of 75,000 to 150,000 euros.

Live

14:15 – The program for today's hearing

This Wednesday, November 27, the questioning of the defendants will begin with those of Machikour K., suspected of having taken advantage of Paul Pogba in an Adidas store on the Champs-Elysées and of having visited him at the Juventus training center to put pressure on him -, Adama C. – who rented the apartment where Pogba was sequestered and Mamadou M., also present during the sequestration.

11:03 – The prosecution refused the request for referral

“The law provides for an exceptional measure, but, in my opinion, it is not necessary. His statements are known to all, they have been recorded. The case must be taken as it stands” explained the prosecution on the presence of the civil party.

10:22 – Me Leberquier demands that Paul Pogba be summoned to appear

“How sincere are his statements, knowing that there are contradictions brought to light by the investigating judge and that we would like to confront in front of you ?” the lawyer tried to justify requesting the presence of the former world champion.

09:50 – “Not the trial of Paul Pogba”

After a day where the debates focused on the presence of Paul Pogba in this trial, the civil party wanted to make a clarification. “We have come to ask you for the personal, or forced, appearance of Paul Pogba. Everything has been said. This is not Paul Pogba's trial. It is the public prosecutor who is prosecuting. He showed up at all the summonses, he was heard at length, on several occasions, and went to the confrontations. He did not shirk &at any of these meetings. The freedom of the civil party is to file a complaint without holding Paul Pogba responsible for this case. It is not his simple statements that have led the defendants to their place today. Paul Pogba's freedom today is not to show up, not to be at your hearing and not to be told that this is his trial. Because that is not the case."