Prosecutors request court to drop charges on Strauss-Kahn

New York, Aug 23: The sexual assault charges against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn should be dismissed, prosecutors today (Aug 23) requested a court here, saying that they doubt the credibility of the hotel maid because of her "inconsistent" and "shifting" versions of the incident.

In a 25-page motion of ''Recommendation for Dismissal'' submitted in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, prosecutors from the office of Manhattan's District Attorney said the "case rises and falls" on the testimony of Nafissatou Diallo, the 32-year-old Guinean maid who said Strauss-Kahn sexually abused her in May when she had gone to clean his suite in the city's posh hotel Sofitel.

"The nature and number of the complainant's falsehoods leave us unable to credit her version of events beyond a reasonable doubt, whatever the truth may be about the encounter" between Strauss-Kahn and Diallo.

"If we do not believe her beyond a reasonable doubt, we cannot ask a jury to do so." The motion requested Justice Michael Obus to dismiss the seven-count indictment against Strauss-Kahn.

Justice Obus will hear the case on Wednesday.

Prosecutors said at the time of the indictment, the available evidence "satisfied" them that she was "reliable." "But evidence gathered in our post indictment investigation severely undermined her reliability as a witness in the case. After an extensive investigation, it is clear that proof of two critical elements - force and lack of consent - would rest solely" on Diallo's testimony.

PTI