Hakimi says he will face rape trial after appeal fails
The Morocco and PSG defender denies wrongdoing and says a trial will let him present his account in a French rape case.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi said he will stand trial on a rape charge in France, a development that keeps a serious legal case around one of Morocco’s leading players during the World Cup. Hakimi, Morocco’s World Cup captain, denies wrongdoing and said on X that he welcomed the chance to give his account.
Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that Hakimi had challenged a decision sending the case to a criminal court. French media reported that the Versailles appeals court rejected that appeal, clearing the way for a future trial.
No trial date was immediately available. Reuters reported that the Versailles appeals court and Hakimi’s lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Case dates back to 2023
The Nanterre prosecutor’s office near Paris opened an investigation in 2023 after a woman accused Hakimi of rape, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. Hakimi faced preliminary rape charges in March 2023 after the woman, then 24, said he raped her at his home in a Paris suburb, the outlets reported.
Hakimi has rejected the accusation. In a post on X cited by Al Jazeera and Reuters, he said a version of events he did not accept was being told at the expense of his family, his life and the truth.
“I’ve been waiting for this trial since day one. And now I’m looking forward to it. Finally, I’ll be able to speak out,” Hakimi wrote, according to the report.
World Cup duties continue
The legal development came as Hakimi remained involved with Morocco at the World Cup. Al Jazeera reported that he was due to join Morocco’s squad for a match against Scotland later Friday.
Hakimi played for Morocco in their World Cup opener against Brazil on Sunday, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. A Reuters image caption from that match identified him in action during the Group C game at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Al Jazeera and Reuters described Hakimi as one of the world’s top right-backs. He plays his club football for Paris Saint-Germain and has been a key figure for Morocco’s national team.
The case will now proceed toward a criminal court trial unless another legal step changes its course. For now, according to the reports, the unresolved question is when the trial will begin.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.