Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco football star Achraf Hakimi will stand trial on rape charges after France’s highest court upheld a decision sending the case to a criminal court.
The Court of Cassation on Wednesday confirmed the earlier ruling that Hakimi should face trial over allegations made by a woman in 2023.
Hakimi had challenged the decision after the Versailles appeals court ruled in June that the case should proceed to trial. The latest ruling represents his final legal avenue against the order.
The 27-year-old defender has repeatedly denied the allegation and maintains his innocence.
His lawyer, Fanny Colin, said the Court of Cassation did not examine the substance of the accusations but only the legal basis for sending the case to trial.
“The allegations against Achraf Hakimi, which he has firmly contested from day one, have not been examined by the Court of Cassation,” Colin said.
She added that Hakimi would present his defence and evidence during the trial.
The case dates back to February 2023, when a woman reported to French police that she had been raped at Hakimi’s home. Hakimi was later charged following an investigation.
A lawyer representing the woman who made the complaint said the court’s decision showed the strength of the reasoning behind moving the case forward.
Paris Saint-Germain said the football star continues to benefit from the presumption of innocence, while reaffirming its commitment to combating sexual violence.
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