The Moroccan PSG defender, Achraf Hakimi, appeared this Friday before the Versailles court, on the outskirts of Paris, to request the dismissal of the rape accusation he has been facing since 2023. The defense presented a letter signed by Kylian Mbappé, in support of Hakimi. In the letter, the Real Madrid player clarifies his initial testimony, which was used by the instructor to order the sending of Hakimi to trial for the crime of rape, according to the accusation of a young woman. This event occurs eight days after the Champions League final, where PSG will face Arsenal. Hakimi, who is recovering from an injury, could start in the match. The decision on Hakimi’s appeal will be announced on June 19, coinciding with his participation in the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada with the Moroccan national team. Fanny Colin, Hakimi’s defense lawyer, confirmed the presentation of new elements to request the dismissal of the case. Sources close to the case indicate that Mbappé’s letter is key. In it, Mbappé clarifies his testimony from April 14, 2023, where he initially recounted what Hakimi had confessed to him. In his initial statement, Mbappé mentioned that Hakimi had confessed to him that he had kissed the young woman and touched “intimate parts,” without her showing any rejection. These words were considered by the magistrate as confirmation of the complainant’s testimony. In his writing, Mbappé clarifies that he was referring to “intimate parts” without specifying whether they were sexual organs.
A nuance that has not convinced the complainant’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, who questions the ambiguity of the expression “intimate parts” without a sexual context.
Rachel-Flore PardoPardo, in statements to the press, expressed his surprise at Mbappé’s clarification, recalling that in his original interrogation he mentioned that Hakimi had told him that he had caressed “his intimate parts”. Pardo also criticized the supposed benevolence towards Hakimi, contrasting it with the rigor applied to figures from the world of entertainment, such as the singer and actor Patrick Bruel, accused of rape.The lawyer recalled that three magistrates have considered that there is sufficient evidence to bring Hakimi to trial. The complainant, 24 years old at the time of the events, reported that she went to Hakimi’s home in Boulogne-Billancourt on February 25, 2023, after a previous contact through social media. According to the complaint, the footballer kissed her on the lips despite her rejection, lifted her clothes, kissed her breasts and inserted his fingers into her vagina, despite her resistance. The young woman managed to break free and contact a friend. Hakimi has denied any act of penetration, admitting only consensual kisses and hugs. The player has called the decision to send him to trial “unfair,” while the club has taken no action, relying on the presumption of innocence.Football players enjoy a certain immunity. It’s an essentially masculine world and the fight against sexual violence hasn’t started yet. But it will.
Rachel-Flore Pardo
