The man arrested last month in France for sexually assaulting a woman reported to be a nun is a homeless Guinean national living in France illegally, as he had been ordered to leave the country in 2021.
Mamadou Diakhabi approached his victim at around 6 p.m. on June 30 in the village of Sarthe, Pays de la Loire, blocking her alongside his truck on a road in the village. He is accused of grabbing her, licking her face, and fondling her breasts before an oncoming vehicle interrupted the assault.
He had reportedly visited the victim’s home two days prior to the attack, asking her to pray for him and making several incoherent remarks, according to the Catholic blog site, Le Salon Beige.
The suspect was arrested by French authorities and detained.
The story was first reported earlier this month by right-wing activist Damien Rieu, who is affiliated with Éric Zemmour’s Reconquête party. However, new facts about the suspect’s background have now come to light.
Born in the Guinean capital of Conakry, 32-year-old Diakhabi moved to France but is currently both homeless and jobless. Following his arrest, it emerged that the Guinean national was already known to police for committing similar offenses and is currently residing in France illegally, having been issued with an order to leave French territory back in July 2021.
It is unknown what steps, if any, were taken by French authorities to attempt to enforce this deportation order or whether this order will now be enforced following a successful conviction for the latest charges of sexual assault.
Diakhabi is understood to be the subject of a summons ahead of criminal proceedings due to take place in the nearby town of Le Mans on Sept. 1.
