Morocco’s captain will return from the World Cup to face an alleged rape case, according to a French appeals court. The PSG player is alleged to have raped a woman in 2023, though he has denied it.
The decision was delivered by the Versailles Court of Appeal in the afternoon, paving the way for the trial to take place before the criminal court in the Hauts-de-Seine department.
A specific date for the beginning of the proceedings has not yet been announced.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports, the plaintiff’s attorney, Rachel-Flore Pardo, stated that the judicial confirmation brought her client “relief and hope.”
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The plaintiff, who spoke publicly under the pseudonym Jeanne in an interview published Thursday by the French investigative outlet Mediapart, expressed that she pursued the trial to defend herself and be heard.
Conversely, Hakimi’s defense counsel, Fanny Colin, noted that the confirmation was expected, emphasizing that the referral does not equate to a declaration of guilt and that the player remains steadfast in his defense.
Following the ruling, the Paris Saint-Germain right-back and captain of the Moroccan national team took to the social media platform X to address the situation.
Hakimi stated that he had been waiting for this trial since day one and added, “At last, I will be able to speak.”
