Referral of Achraf Hakimi to Trial in France
The details of the case date back to February 2023, when a young woman filed a complaint accusing the player of raping her in his home after they met through the Instagram app. The public prosecutor in Nanterre had requested on August 1st that the file be referred to the regional criminal court in Hauts-de-Seine, before the investigating judge decided to proceed with the trial procedures.
In his first comment following the decision, Hakimi (27 years old) posted a statement on his account on the “X” platform, in which he expressed his complete rejection of the charge, stating that mere accusation does not imply guilt, and that he is awaiting trial to reveal the truth before the judiciary.
The player continues to deny all the accusations against him, and he previously described the case as “false allegations.”
For her part, his lawyer, Fanny Colin, explained that the referral decision was based, according to her, on the complainant’s statements, noting that the latter refused some investigation procedures, including medical examinations, analyses, and handing over her phone. She also mentioned messages she considered as indicators of an extortion attempt, which the civil party’s defense denies.
On the other hand, the complainant’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, asserted that the investigation included sufficient elements to prove the accusation, emphasizing that there was no evidence of an extortion attempt, and described this argument as a recurring defense tactic in this type of case.
The trial is expected to represent a crucial stage in this case, which has garnered widespread attention in both French and international media, as the judicial sessions await to yield final judgments and decisions.
