Guinea Ambassador Charged in Sexual Battery of Hotel Maid

Los Angeles authorities Thursday charged Guinea’s ambassador to the United States with the sexual battery of a hotel maid during a trade visit to the city last month.

Ambassador Moussa Sangare was charged with one count each of sexual battery, which is punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,000 fine, and false imprisonment, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Arraignment on the misdemeanor charges was scheduled for Jan. 3 in Municipal Court.

Prosecutors said the incident occurred Sept. 4, when a maid at the downtown Biltmore Hotel, where Sangare was staying, entered his room to turn down the bed as part of her routine duties.

The woman told police that Sangare approached her from behind, placed his arms around her, fondled her breasts through her clothing and attempted to kiss her on the neck.

The woman said she pushed Sangare away, but he grabbed her a second time and again fondled her and attempted to kiss her. She again pushed him away, ran from the room and reported the incident to police, prosecutors said.

Sangare was in Los Angeles with a trade delegation of other ambassadors from West African nations.

He met with Mayor Tom Bradley before leaving Los Angeles on Sept. 9 and returned to Guinea.

Prosecutors notified him of the charges and arraignment date in a letter sent to his residence in Washington.

Guinea can invoke a claim of diplomatic immunity from prosecution on Sangare’s behalf, said Mike Qualls, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office.

If that is done, the State Department can ask Guinea to withdraw the immunity claim. If Guinea refuses, the State Department can move to have Sangare ejected from the United States.