Achraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain defender and captain of the Morocco national team, has filed an appeal to France’s highest court seeking to overturn a ruling that sent his alleged sexual assault case to criminal trial. The case dates back to February 2023, when a 24-year-old woman accused him of sexual assault after allegedly visiting his home in the Paris suburbs. Hakimi has consistently denied the allegation and maintains his innocence. No conviction has been issued against him. The Versailles Court of Appeal upheld the decision on June 19 to refer the case to a criminal court. Hakimi has now appealed to the Court of Cassation, which reviews only whether legal procedures were correctly applied, not the facts of the case. His lawyer, Fanny Colin, says there is no evidence supporting the accusation, while the complainant has requested a public trial. No hearing date has been set. If the appeal is rejected, the case is expected to proceed to trial.
