French investigators have questioned one of Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s daughters about an allegation that he attempted to rape a French writer.Camille Strauss-Kahn is a friend of the alleged victim, Tristane Banon.Ms Banon says the former IMF chief assaulted her in a Paris flat in 2003 as she attempted to conduct an interview with him.Separately, Mr Strauss-Kahn denies charges of sexually assaulting a New York hotel maid on 14 May.Mr Strauss-Kahn was freed from house arrest in the US city earlier this month after the credibility of his accuser’s evidence came into question.
Police questioned Camille Strauss-Kahn on Monday, a judicial official speaking on condition of anonymity told the Associated Press.Her mother, Mr Strauss-Kahn’s ex-wife, Brigitte Guillemette, was questioned on Friday, legal sources said. She is Ms Banon’s godmother.It was shortly after Mr Strauss-Kahn was arrested in New York that Ms Banon – now 32 – came forward to say that he had tried to assault her eight years ago.She said she had not pursued the case at the time because “everyone told me it would never succeed”, but that following the allegations in New York there was “perhaps a chance to finally be listened to”.
Mr Strauss-Kahn denies any wrongdoing, and has launched a counter-claim, suing Ms Banon for making false statements.Under French law, the charge of attempted rape carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail. However, the prosecutors’ inquiry may not lead to formal charges.Ms Banon and her mother, Anne Mansouret, herself a politician from Mr Strauss-Kahn’s centre-left Socialist Party, were interviewed by police last week. – BBC
