In a decision issued on Friday, the Court of Appeals in Versailles confirmed the formal charges against Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi before the criminal court for the crime of rape, thereby affirming the decision made by the investigating judge at the end of February last month, which the player had appealed against.
This decision comes at a very sensitive time, as the Moroccan national team prepares to play its second match in the World Cup against Scotland this evening, Friday, on American soil.
Hakimi is 27 years old and plays for Paris Saint-Germain. He had requested during a hearing before the investigation chamber in May last month to issue a decision not to pursue the case in which he is accused of raping a young woman who is 24 years old (she was his age at the time of the incident).
Details of the Allegations
According to what police sources reported earlier, the young woman met Hakimi via Instagram in January 2023, and then traveled to his home using a taxi (VTC) that the player himself requested. The young woman claimed that Hakimi kissed her and touched her without her consent, then raped her. She said that she managed to resist him and contacted a friend via text message who came to her rescue.
Hakimi was referred for investigation and placed under judicial supervision before being referred to trial last February.
Reactions
For her part, Hakimi’s lawyer, Me Fanny Collin, confirmed that the accusation relies “on the words of only one woman that contradicts all investigations,” indicating that the young woman tried to hide text messages exchanged with one of her friends that show an intention to “rob” Hakimi. The lawyer refrained from commenting before the hearing.
In a rare statement to “Mediapart,” published last Thursday, the young woman (who chose the pseudonym “Jean”) spoke to the press for the first time, stating that she wants “a trial to defend herself and to be heard.” She added: “I want to justify myself. I want them to believe me.”
