Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred arrested in France over third rape allegation

Saad Lamjarred, who was already on bail over two separate rape and sexual assault cases dating back to 2010, was detained after an alleged incident that took place in a hotel in Saint-Tropez.

No further details were provided but prosecutors said the latest case was "complex" and involved two "radically opposed versions of events”, according to AFP.

The 33-year-old singer rose to fame after his 2015 hit Lmaallem racked up more than 650 million views on YouTube, making it the most-viewed video by an Arab artist on the popular platform.

He fled the US after being granted bail in a case accusing him of assaulting and raping a woman in New York in 2010.

Similar charges were brought to the singer six years later, this time involving a French woman in a hotel in Paris. Again, Lamjarred was bailed but put on an electronic tag pending trial.

The victim spoke out in November 2017 in a video posted on YouTube, in which she detailed the alleged incident after her identity was leaked online.

"My name is Laura Prioul, I'm 21 years old, and it has been one year since I was physically attacked, hit and raped.

"For the past year I've been hiding from the media, hiding from everyone, that everyone's been talking about me.

"So many people were talking about me, insulting me, and no one supported me apart from my family and friends," Prioul said.

During his 2016 arrest, Morocco's King Mohammad V covered Lamjarred's legal costs and hired a top lawyer - known for securing acquittals - to defend him.