A French appeals court confirmed that Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco star player Achraf Hakimi will stand trial in a rape case. The defender, who is currently playing with Morocco at the World Cup, had appealed a February decision by an investigative judge.
Rape Allegations
Hakimi, one of the best right backs in the world, denies any wrongdoing. He faced preliminary charges of rape in March 2023 after a 24-year-old woman said she was raped by Hakimi at his home in a Paris suburb.
The Versailles appeals court said in a press statement that it ordered that Hakimi be formally charged with rape. The court said that the investigations conducted during the inquiry and the judicial investigation led the investigating chamber to conclude that there is sufficient evidence against the player to stand trial.
Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer representing the plaintiff, said that after more than three years of legal proceedings, the court’s decision brings her client a sense of relief and hope.
Hakimi claimed in a message posted on X on Friday that his case would have been dismissed if he had not been famous, and that he sometimes feels he has become an easy target.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
