Kylian Mbappe Investigated in Sweden Amid Rape Allegations

Following reports that French football star Kylian Mbappe is under investigation for rape in Stockholm, attention is focused on Sweden’s legal proceedings. The incident allegedly took place during Mbappe’s visit to the Swedish capital from October 9 to 11. Although several media outlets have mentioned Mbappe, the prosecutor has not publicly identified the suspect. A Swedish prosecutor has clarified several aspects of the case and the related judicial processes.

Malin Kuhn, the Swedish prosecutor handling the case, informed AFP that the primary stages of an investigation involve collecting technical evidence along with witness statements. The unnamed plaintiff has already given a statement to the police, according to “Aftonbladet”, a Swedish newspaper.

As of October 17, it remained unclear whether Mbappe had been interrogated by Swedish authorities. However, his lawyer stated on October 15 that Mbappe is willing to cooperate with the investigation if required. The processes are kept confidential, protecting both the investigation’s integrity and the potential suspect, Kuhn noted.

If Swedish authorities wish to question Mbappe, they might request his presence in Sweden. However, for EU residents, countries can facilitate questioning through local police or allow Swedish investigators to be present. Should Mbappe refuse to travel, Sweden has the option to issue a European arrest warrant, contingent on the strength of the evidence.

Swedish law distinguishes two suspicion levels: ‘reasonable cause’ and ‘probable cause.’ The newspaper “Expressen” reported that prosecutors currently have ‘reasonable cause’ to suspect Mbappe. This level is subject to revision based on the evolving evidence.

The case also brings into focus Sweden’s updated rape legislation from 2018, which emphasizes consent over violence or coercion. This law enables convictions even if the victim did not physically resist or verbally express non-consent, a situation known as ‘frozen fright.’ There is also a ‘negligent rape’ charge for incidents where the offender should have known the other party was not consenting.

Swedish legal reforms were influenced by the #MeToo movement and contributed to an increase in rape convictions from 190 in 2017 to 333 in 2019, as per the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention. Despite these figures, the vast majority of rape reports do not result in prosecution, with 6,000 reported rapes leading to only 800 prosecutions in 2022.

Conviction for rape under Swedish law carries a minimum prison term of three years, extendable to six years or up to ten for aggravated circumstances. For ‘negligent rape,’ the sentencing can be up to four years.