Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi moves to dismiss rape trial case as Versailles Court hears appeal

Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi is pushing to have the rape case against him dismissed when his legal team appears before the Versailles appeals court.

The 27-year-old international is challenging a ruling that ordered him to stand trial over allegations of rape made by a woman in France.

The court hearing, held west of Paris, will determine whether the case proceeds to trial or is downgraded or dropped. If the appeal fails, a trial date will be set at a later stage.

Hakimi was placed under judicial supervision after being formally charged in 2023 following accusations made by a 24-year-old woman who reported the alleged incident to police in the Val-de-Marne area, southeast of Paris.

According to the complaint, she met Hakimi through Instagram in January 2023 and later travelled to his residence in a taxi arranged by the player.

She alleges that he kissed her, touched her without consent and raped her, before managing to leave and contact a friend who came to pick her up.

Hakimi denies all allegations. His lawyer, Fanny Colin, has previously argued that the case relies solely on the complainant’s account and that key investigative steps—including medical examinations and DNA testing—were not fully pursued by the accuser.

The PSG defender, who joined the club from Inter Milan in 2021 after spells at Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, has been a central figure in Morocco’s recent football success, including their historic run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals.

Despite the legal proceedings, Hakimi is expected to remain available for selection, with PSG scheduled for key fixtures in the coming weeks, including a Champions League final against Arsenal on May 30 in Budapest.

He is also expected to feature for Morocco at the upcoming World Cup, where they will face Brazil, Scotland and Haiti in Group C.