PSG’s Hakimi faces possible rape trial, could get 15 years | OneFootball

The Hakimi case: the Nanterre prosecutor's office requests a trial for alleged rape

Achraf Hakimi, a well-known Moroccan full-back currently playing for Paris Saint-Germain and formerly a key player in Serie A with Inter, is at the center of a highly delicate legal case.

Paris Saint-Germain, Hakimi at risk of trial for rape: he risks up to 15 years

The Nanterre prosecutor's office, a suburb of Paris, has requested that the player be referred to trial for alleged rape, a crime that in France can result in a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

According to the French judicial system, the prosecutor's request does not automatically result in a referral to trial: the final decision now rests with the investigating judge, who will assess whether the evidence collected is sufficient to send the case to a criminal court.

The contested facts: the investigators' reconstruction

The incident dates back to February 25, 2023, when Hakimi allegedly had a taxi delivered to the young woman who accuses him, taking her to his home in Boulogne-Billancourt, on the outskirts of Paris. At the time, the player's wife and children were out of town.

The girl, according to the reconstruction provided to the investigators, had met Hakimi through Instagram in January of the same year. Despite not having filed a formal complaint, the prosecutor's office has decided to proceed ex officio, considering the evidence collected sufficient to hypothesize the crime.

The woman reported being kissed against her will and subjected to non-consensual sexual advances, culminating - according to what she told the police - in an act of sexual violence. She would have managed to free herself only to send a message to a friend, who rushed to pick her up.

Contrasting defenses: between statements and legal strategy

Hakimi's lawyer, Fanny Colin, described the prosecutor's request as "incomprehensible and absurd" in light of the evidence on file. She also specified that, if the judge decides to proceed with the referral to trial, the defense will use all available legal means.

On the other hand, the words of the girl's lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, who spoke to Le Parisien about "immense relief" for the prosecutor's decision: a first formal recognition of what her client has maintained.

In the months following the opening of the case, Hakimi has always denied any responsibility, publicly claiming to be the victim of an attempted blackmail. In an interview given months later, he had stated:

"When you are successful and everything is going well for you, you become an easy target. They tried to blackmail me, that's why the complaint was filed. But justice has handled everything with balance."

The club's position and possible scenarios

Paris Saint-Germain has maintained a cautious and reserved position since the beginning of the case, preferring not to release official comments until the conclusion of the judicial proceedings. However, a possible referral to trial could have significant repercussions on the relationship between the club and the player, both from a sporting and image perspective.

If the investigating judge accepts the prosecutor's request, Hakimi will have to face a criminal trial in the coming months, with all the implications that this entails.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.