Dominique Strauss-Kahn has had his bail lifted after prosecutors said his accuser had lied repeatedly during their investigation. The former IMF chief, who is accused by a hotel maid of sexual assault, was released without bail on his own “recognisance”. The American legal term means he is free to move around the US as long as he does not try to leave the country.
On his first night of freedom since his arrest, the 62-year-old went out for dinner with his wife Anne Sinclair. The judge said Strauss-Kahn should also get his $1m (£620,000) cash bond and $5m (£3m) insurance bond back, but authorities retained his travel documents. Manhattan District Attorney Joan Illuzzi-Orbon told the court the credibility of the 32-year-old maid making the allegations had been thrown into question.
In court papers, the DA’s office said she admitted lying to the grand jury about what happened in the moments after the alleged attack. “The complainant has since admitted that after the incident in Suite 2806, she proceeded to clean a nearby room and then returned to Suite 2806 and began to clean that suite before she reported the incident to her supervisor,” they said.
Inconsistencies have also been discovered in the Guinean immigrant’s asylum application. And reports suggested she may be linked to criminal activities such as drug dealing and money laundering. There were also claims she made a phone call to an acquaintance to discuss the financial benefits of pursuing a case against Strauss-Kahn. In response, Justice Michael Obus said: “I understand that the circumstances of this case have changed substantially… I release Mr Strauss-Kahn. “There will be no rush to judgement. The people will continue to investigate and re-examine the matter as appropriate.” But the judge stressed that the “case is not over” and said the French politician was due to appear before the courts again on July 18. – sky
