A 25-year-old woman who accused US singer Chris Brown of rape is standing by her accusations despite Brown's denials and release from custody, her lawyer told AFP yesterday. "She maintains her accusations. We have taken note of his release from questioning, and will leave it in the hands of investigators as the inquiry continues," lawyer Jean-Marc Descoubes said. The woman, identified as "Karima" in media reports, says Brown along with his bodyguard and a friend assaulted her in the luxury Mandarin Oriental hotel on the night of January 15.

Brown and his associates were released without charge on Tuesday after being held overnight for questioning on charges of aggravated rape and a drug offence. The woman told police she met Brown in a nightclub near the Champs-Elysees avenue with a group of other party-goers. She then agreed to go back to the hotel, which is on the glitzy Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore. A lawyer for the Grammy Award-winning singer said his client was innocent and was considering a defamation lawsuit. The singer posted a picture on his Instagram account Tuesday night that read "This B!tch Lyin'".

The singer, who according to Billboard has sold more than 100 million records, has been in the news more for his legal troubles than hit releases in recent years. In 2009 he was convicted of beating fellow singer Rihanna, his girlfriend at the time, who missed the Grammy Awards because of her injuries.-AFP