Home Entertainment Nicki Minaj Is Supporting Her Brother ‘100 Percent’ During His Child Sex Abuse Trial!

Nicki Minaj Is Supporting Her Brother ‘100 Percent’ During His Child Sex Abuse Trial!

darudemagOct 17, 2017EntertainmentComments Off on Nicki Minaj Is Supporting Her Brother ‘100 Percent’ During His Child Sex Abuse Trial!

Jury selection began Wednesday in the child sex abuse trial of Jelani Maraj, the 38-year-old brother of rapper Nicki Minaj, PEOPLE confirms.

Maraj is expected to be tried for up to three weeks in Long Island, New York, on charges that he sexually abused a child younger than 13 years old — allegations he denies.

Maraj was first arrested in connection with the case in early December 2015 and, according to online court records, now faces charges of predatory sex assault against a child, course of sexual conduct and acting in a manner likely to injure a child.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors declined to comment on the case Thursday, and it remains unclear what led to the charges against Maraj or when the alleged abuse occurred.

If convicted of the most serious count, he could be sentenced to life behind bars.

“These are a bunch of lies,” his attorney, David Schwartz, told Newsday. “There’s a big, big motive to lie here which I can’t get into right now. But these are false accusations.”