Achraf Hakimi to stand trial for rape after French Supreme Court rejects appeal

France's Supreme Court confirmed on Wednesday that Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi will stand trial over a rape accusation filed against him in 2023. The highest judicial authority in the country rejected the appeal presented by the Moroccan international's legal team, upholding the decision previously issued by the Versailles Court of Appeal.

Hakimi, a 27-year-old born in Madrid, has consistently denied the allegations. With this ruling, the PSG full-back has no further legal route to avoid criminal proceedings, and Kylian Mbappé could be called to testify during the trial.

Key points in the Achraf Hakimi case

• France's Supreme Court confirms that Achraf Hakimi must stand trial.
• The PSG defender is accused of rape following an encounter at his home in 2023.
• The ruling exhausts all legal appeals available to the Moroccan international.
• Kylian Mbappé may appear as a witness after his testimony was used during the investigation.
• The plaintiff and her lawyer say they will fight until the end to obtain justice.

What the French Supreme Court decided on Hakimi

The country's highest court dismissed the appeal filed by the footballer's lawyers against the decision issued on June 19 by the Versailles Court of Appeal. That ruling came during the World Cup held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, a tournament in which Morocco secured third place. It marked a decisive step toward placing the defender in the dock.

The trial will take place before a criminal court in the Hauts-de-Seine department, most likely in Nanterre. No date has been set for the proceedings. Hakimi now faces a judicial process with no remaining options to block the case, after every appeal route was fully exhausted.

The 2023 rape accusation against Achraf Hakimi

The plaintiff and the footballer first connected on social media. After months exchanging messages, they arranged to meet at his home in Boulogne-Billancourt, on the outskirts of Paris, in February 2023. According to the complaint, Hakimi kissed her on the lips despite her refusal, lifted her clothes, kissed her breasts and inserted his fingers into her vagina while she resisted.

The woman, who was 24 at the time, said she managed to push him away with a kick and immediately contacted a friend, who came to pick her up. Hakimi has denied any penetration from the outset, admitting only mutual hugs and consensual kissing. That version has remained consistent throughout the legal process.

Kylian Mbappé's possible role as a witness

The Real Madrid forward, who shared a dressing room with Hakimi at Paris Saint-Germain, could be called as a witness. His testimony was submitted by the defense in an effort to show that the relations between the player and the plaintiff were consensual.

Mbappé spoke to investigators on April 14, 2023. During that appearance, he stated that Hakimi had told him on the night of the events that they had kissed and that he had touched her private parts, without perceiving any rejection on her part. Those words initially led the examining magistrate to order the defender to stand trial, viewing the statement as supporting the plaintiff's account.

The Moroccan international's defense appealed and introduced new material, including a letter from Mbappé clarifying his original testimony. In that letter, the forward explained that what Hakimi had actually told him was that he had touched private parts, not her private parts, a subtle distinction that, according to the defense, removed the sexual implication. Even so, the Court of Appeal upheld the decision to send the footballer to trial.

The plaintiff's response to the Supreme Court ruling

The plaintiff's lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, described the judicial decision as a major step forward for her client. The attorney said that after three and a half years of legal battle, of slander and of being dragged through the process by Hakimi's defense, the woman is convinced that justice will be served and that she will fight until the end.

My client hopes this trial will help other women and further break down the wall of denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence, even in the world of professional football.

The case has drawn huge attention in France due to the accused's status as a star of PSG and the possible involvement of Mbappé in the hearings. Hakimi, a Ligue 1 champion with the Parisian club and one of the most recognized full-backs in European football, will now have to defend his innocence before a criminal court in the coming months.

Frequently asked questions about the Achraf Hakimi trial