Rape allegations still shadow Achraf Hakimi as he leads Morocco into Afcon final
Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi has captained Morocco to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Image: BackpagePix
Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi was the toast of Morocco on Wednesday night as he led the Africa Cup of Nations hosts to the final of the tournament after beating Nigeria on penalties.
It was another big night for the 27-year-old defender, who two months ago was crowned the best player on the continent at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards. That crown came in the same year that he helped his club win the UEFA Champions League.
However, Hakimi’s success on the field has come amid an unresolved legal case that continues to follow him.
The ongoing case dates back to March 2023, when Hakimi was charged in France with the alleged rape of a 24-year-old woman. The charge came less than a year after Morocco had made history by becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.
The woman alleged she had met the footballer on Instagram and he invited her to his home in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt while his wife and children were away on holiday. She told police that while at the house, Hakimi had started kissing her and making non-consensual sexual advances, before raping her. Hakimi’s wife, Spanish-Tunisian actress Hiba Abouk, later filed for divorce following the emergence of the allegations, it was reported.
Hakimi denied the allegations, calling them a “lie”, insisting he would never do such a thing.
In August last year, prosecutors in France asked that Hakimi be tried in a criminal court for the alleged rape. "It is now up to the investigating magistrate to make a decision within the framework of his order," the prosecutors said at the time.
Currently, there’s no fixed public timeline for when the judge will decide whether to send Hakimi to trial. For the time being, he remains available to play for his club and country, and will be hoping to get his hands on the Afcon trophy after Sunday’s final against Senegal.
Later this year, he is also expected to play a key role for Morocco at the World Cup in North America.
IOL Sport