Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi has been charged with rape, French prosecutors announced on Friday.
Earlier this week, the 24-year-old was accused of sexual abuse by an unnamed woman after he invited her to his Paris home last weekend.
According to Le Parisien, Hakimi was invited by prosecutors from Nanterre for questioning on the basis of the accusations of sexual abuse on Thursday.
The Moroccan star has been officially charged despite news that the unnamed victim was not pursuing charges. However, reports also have it that the woman’s friend, who came to pick her up after the incident, is the sole motivator behind the prosecution.
Rachel-Flore Pardo, the young woman’s lawyer, said: “To take note of the indictment of the PSG player.”
“My client made the choice to entrust herself to justice, exclusively to justice. She does not in any way wish to contribute to the media coverage of the case, in particular to preserve her safety.”
Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, denounced his involvement in a press release on Friday, stating that the whole process is an “attempted racketeering.”
“After the few hours of hearing, I remember for my part that the whistleblower refused to file a complaint, refused to submit to the slightest medical or psychological examination and refused to be confronted with Achraf Hakimi, even though the accusation rests exclusively on his words,” she wrote.
On the other hand, PSG has come out in support of their player, saying, “The club is in support of the player, who has firmly denied the accusations and trusts in justice. PSG is an institution that promotes respect on and off the pitch.
Hakimi has been out with a thigh injury that has been troubling him since the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he helped the Atlas Lions to a historic fourth-place finish.
The former Real Madrid defender was pictured entering PSG’s training ground in Camp Loges earlier today when the news was broken. He is in contention to feature in their Ligue 1 match against Nantes on Saturday at the Parc des Princes.
