Achraf Hakimi to stand trial over 2023 rape allegation, says 'At last, I'll be able to speak'

A French appeals court on Friday confirmed that Moroccan football star Achraf Hakimi will stand trial over allegations that he raped a woman in 2023. The Paris Saint-Germain defender has consistently denied the accusation. The case stems from a complaint filed in February 2023 by a 24-year-old woman who told police in the Val-de-Marne region, southeast of Paris, that Hakimi had raped her.

Hakimi, who also captains Morocco's national team and is competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has repeatedly rejected the allegations. Following the ruling by the Versailles Court of Appeal, Hakimi responded on X, saying he had been “waiting for this trial since day one.” "At last, I'll be able to speak," he said.

A trial date has not yet been announced. The case will be heard before the criminal court in the Hauts-de-Seine department.

Hakimi's lawyer, Fanny Colin, said the ruling was anticipated and reiterated her client's position. "This confirmation was expected. Nothing here says that he is guilty of anything, he remains steadfast in his defence," Hakimi's lawyer Fanny Colin said.

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Brazil vs Haiti Photograph: (WION)

The plaintiff's lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, welcomed the decision, saying it brought her client "relief and hope". According to investigators, the woman alleged that she met Hakimi through Instagram in January 2023 and later traveled to his home in a taxi arranged by the footballer. She claimed that Hakimi kissed her, touched her without consent, and then raped her.

The woman said she managed to push him away before sending a text message to a friend, who later came to pick her up. In comments published by Mediapart on Thursday, the woman, identified under the pseudonym Jeanne, said she wanted a trial "to defend myself, to be heard". "I want to explain myself. I want people to believe me," she added. The upcoming trial will allow both parties to present their accounts before the court as legal proceedings continue.