The New York Times
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Claim: A viral Facebook post by one Meddrak on The Shukubly page alleges that Ghanaian and Arsenal footballer, Thomas Partey was recently arrested in connection with sexual assault and rape allegations. The post was accompanied by a picture of Partey with two police officers putting Partey in cuffs.
Verdict: Misleading. Thomas Partey was charged on July 4, 2025, with multiple rape and assault counts (as widely reported), but no separate new arrest or charge beyond this has been reported. Official sources have confirmed the July 4 charges and listed his upcoming court date. There is no evidence from the police, court, or credible UK media of any additional action against him in July 2025.
Full Text
A viral post circulating on Facebook by a user named Medrrak on the Shukubly page claimed Thomas Partey has “finally been arrested” this July in connection with multiple sexual assault allegations. The post suggests this is a recent police action, but does not cite any credible source or evidence to support the claim.
The photo attached to the post is a collage: the top image shows Thomas Partey in an Arsenal jersey with two uniformed police officers behind him, as if he is being taken away in handcuffs. The bottom part of the collage contains several edited or mismatched images, including a man in a black hoodie being held by police, a party scene with Partey and a woman, and other unrelated visuals. These images collectively give the impression that Partey has been arrested, though no official confirmation exists.
Such a claim quickly gained traction among fans, who are loyal Arsenal supporters and personal Partey supporters. Several followers demanded proof, but the original poster did not provide any. Given the serious nature of the claim and its potential to cause reputational damage, DUBAWA undertook this fact-checking exercise. Allegations of sexual assault involving public figures can spark public outrage and misinformation if not handled responsibly. It was, therefore, necessary to investigate the accuracy of this viral post to set the record straight and uphold responsible information sharing.
Before proceeding to verify, the researcher needed to determine, if any, the difference between an arrest and a police charge under UK jurisprudence.
Under UK law, an arrest is when a person is taken into police custody based on reasonable suspicion that they have committed an offence, primarily to allow questioning and evidence gathering. Still, it is not a formal accusation or the initiation of court proceedings. A charge, however, is a formal legal accusation made when the police or the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) determine that there is sufficient evidence to prosecute, and it is in the public interest. A person can be arrested without being charged; conversely, in some cases, they can be charged without arrest, particularly through a postal charge or summons. This distinction is central to due process and is clarified here.
So was Partey arrested?
Verification
When DUBAWA reviewed official statements, The Crown Prosecution Service published a charging decision on July 4, 2025, confirming five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against Partey. You can verify this directly on the CPS newsroom and the Metropolitan Police Newsroom, confirming that he was charged, not arrested, in July 2025. Notably, no further charges or arrests have been reported after that. We found no official statement or court document in July 2025 indicating any new action against Partey beyond the charges filed on July 4. The CPS news release, dated 4 July 2025, lists those charges; the Met Police news page, dated 4 July 2025, contains no later updates. Had any arrest been made, the Crown Prosecution Service or the Metropolitan Newsroom would have reported it as the event of his charges was first reported by these two Agencies.
Major UK media outlets, including Sky Sports, The Telegraph, and BBC reported on his charges, but no arrest was mentioned. The Guardian, CNN, and Al Jazeera all reported these exact charges, which date back to incidents from 2021 to 2022. They state that Partey is scheduled to appear in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 5 August 2025, and no further arrests have been mentioned.
Furthermore, Partey’s legal team, quoted in The Guardian has also maintained the same position since the charges were announced. His lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, has publicly stated that Partey “denies all the charges against him” and “welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name.” Aside from this statement (issued at the time of the July 4 announcement), neither Partey nor his lawyers have issued any new comments or announcements in July 2025. In short, apart from the known July 4 charges, there is no evidence of any new arrest or charge.
DUBAWA also conducted a Google Reverse image Search on the photo attached to the viral claim, which alleged that Ghanaian footballer Thomas Partey had been arrested and charged with rape. The image search directed us to a YouTube video making the same claim.
However, the YouTube content lacks official sources, court documentation, or statements from UK authorities. While the video reiterates the arrest claim, it also concedes that they are “awaiting official confirmation,” which renders the information inconclusive. No news outlet or legal entity is cited in the clip. As such, this video does not qualify as a credible or verifiable source, and the use of the photo within it remains unsubstantiated by reliable media platforms or official statements. The result further underscores that the claim remains unverified and speculative at best.
Conclusion
The claim that Thomas Partey was recently arrested or charged in July 2025, beyond the known allegations, is false. Official records and news reports show only the charges announced on July 4, 2025. No subsequent developments have been reported, and Partey’s lawyer continues to insist he is innocent of those charges. Given the lack of any updated police, court, or credible media confirmation, the rumour of a new arrest is false.
