Former PSU Soccer Player To Stand Trial In New Year's Eve Rape Case
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A man charged in connection with an alleged rape on New Year's Eve last year will stand trial.
Ibrahima Kouyate, 19, appeared in court Wednesday morning for a preliminary hearing, where he was held for trial.
Kouyate is facing charges of first-degree felony counts of rape and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, along with a second-degree felony count of sexual assault.
The alleged incident took place at a 2016-17 New Year's Eve party in a hotel on Baum Boulevard.
According to the criminal complaint, the alleged victim said she had met Kouyate previously. She claimed she was directed to another room by Kouyate, and he closed the door so her friends couldn't enter.
She said she was forced to have sex with him, against her will and without her consent, investigators said.
The defense claims the encounter was consensual.
"I mean let's think about this. They're in a one-bedroom hotel room. There's 13 of them, and at no time does anyone knock or say is anything wrong or anything like that," said defense attorney Blaine Jones. "There's ample opportunity to yell, to scream, to leave, and none of that happen, so I think there's some issues with her credibility and what she testified to today, and that was our goal."
Jones also says Kouyate and the alleged victim had been texting before the party.
Kouyate attended the Barack Obama Academy of International Studies in East Liberty, where he was a four-year letter winner in soccer. He then went to Penn State, where he played in six matches during his freshman year.
