French Court Confirms Moroccan Footballer Hakimi Will Face Rape Trial
A French appeals court on Friday confirmed that Moroccan football star Achraf Hakimi will stand trial over allegations of raping a woman in 2023.
In February 2023, a 24-year-old woman reported to police in the Val-de-Marne region, southeast of Paris, that Hakimi had raped her.
The Paris Saint-Germain right-back and captain of Morocco’s national team, who is currently at the 2026 World Cup where Morocco faces Scotland in their second group game on Friday, has consistently maintained his innocence.
Following the Versailles Court of Appeal’s ruling, Hakimi posted on X that he had been “waiting for this trial since day one,” adding, “At last, I’ll be able to speak.”
A trial date has not yet been set by the criminal court in the Hauts-de-Seine region.
Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, said the decision was expected and does not imply guilt, insisting the player remains confident in his defence.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, described the ruling as bringing her client “relief and hope.”
According to earlier police reports, the woman said she met Hakimi in January 2023 via Instagram and later visited his home in a taxi arranged by him.
She alleged that he kissed her, touched her without consent, and raped her before she managed to push him away and contact a friend, who came to pick her up.
In her first public comments in a Mediapart interview published on Thursday, the woman—referred to as “Jeanne”—said she is seeking a trial to “defend myself, to be heard” and added, “I want to explain myself. I want people to believe me.”
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
