Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred, one of the biggest names in Arab pop music, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by a French appeals court, a sharp increase from the six-year sentence he received at his original trial.
Appeals Court Delivers a Harsher Verdict
The ruling was handed down on Saturday by an appeals court in Créteil, southeast of Paris, which convicted the 41-year-old singer of aggravated rape. The court found the offence was aggravated by the fact that Lamjarred was under the influence of alcohol at the time. French prosecutors had requested an eight-year sentence, but the court went further, ordering his immediate detention.
The case centers on an incident involving a woman identified as Laura P., who was 20 years old when she met Lamjarred, then 31, at a Paris nightclub in 2016. The two later went to a hotel room, where the court found that the assault took place.
A Case That Dragged Through the French Courts
Lamjarred was first convicted by the Paris Assize Court in 2023 and sentenced to six years in prison in the same case. The appeal trial in Créteil, held behind closed doors at the request of the civil party, had originally been scheduled for 2025 but was postponed to allow for further investigation before finally concluding this month.
“The 10-year sentence reflected the singer’s conduct toward the complainant during the proceedings,” said David Chemmi, one of the lawyers representing Laura P.
Defense Maintains Innocence, Plans Further Appeal
Lamjarred’s legal team has consistently denied the allegations. His lawyer, Marie Burguburu, confirmed the defense would take the case to France’s Court of Cassation, the country’s highest court for reviewing legal procedure.
“The team maintains his innocence and intends to appeal the ruling before France’s highest court,” Burguburu said.
If the Court of Cassation accepts the appeal, the case could be sent back for a full retrial before a different appeals court. If it is rejected, the 10-year sentence becomes final.
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A Separate Case Still Pending
This is not the only legal matter Lamjarred is contesting in France. In May 2026, he was separately sentenced to five years in prison by the Var Assize Court in Draguignan over the alleged rape of another woman near Saint-Tropez in 2018, a verdict he is also appealing.
The 2016 case also saw a related extortion attempt targeting Lamjarred. Five people, including the complainant’s mother, a lawyer and an influencer, were convicted in April in connection with the plot and received suspended sentences ranging from six months to two years.
Wider Context
The ruling marks a significant setback for Lamjarred, long regarded as one of the most popular Moroccan singers across the Arab world. With the Court of Cassation appeal still to come, and a second rape conviction also under appeal, the legal proceedings against the singer are likely to continue well beyond this latest verdict, keeping the case in the spotlight across Morocco and the broader region.
