Tariq Ramadan has been in French custody since February 2 following rape charges. (File photo: AP)
Swiss Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan who has been in French custody since February 2 following rape charges by multiple women has admitted he had relations with one of the five women accusers, reported swissinfo.ch.
The 45-year-old woman who is a French national and former escort, has described that the incident happened after she interacted with Ramadan on social media at “a difficult time in her life”.
According to her, the meetings quickly transformed into violent sexual assault.
Ramadan’s lawyer, Emmanuel Marsigny acknowledged that his client knew her, “had a relationship with her, but not what she described,”
The woman has submitted screen grabs of the online exchanges as evidence to the investigators and also a dress that allegedly contains traces of Ramadan’s semen.
Marsigny said an expert report has been ordered.
There are now five rape complaints against Ramadan -- three in France, one in the United States and one in Switzerland. He has formally contested the charges.
