chargement...
Following the decision by the investigating chamber of the Versailles Court of Appeal (Yvelines) to uphold Achraf Hakimi’s referral to the Hauts-de-Seine departmental criminal court on a rape charge, the Moroccan international’s defense team expressed regret that what it described as «the contradictions and lies of the civil party» had not been taken into account.
Quoted by RMC Sport on Friday, Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, argued that «the many exculpatory elements revealed during the investigation and judicial inquiry would, in any other case, have led to the proceedings being dismissed».
The 27-year-old footballer’s defense also denounced what it described as «concealment from the judicial authorities» by the civil party, as well as «obstruction of the search for truth, and psychological assessments highlighting her ambivalence and lack of clarity regarding the events she reported».
«Mr. Achraf Hakimi now eagerly awaits his trial so that he can finally speak publicly about what he considers to be a false accusation», Colin said.
Also quoted by the same outlet, the lawyer for the civil party, Rachel-Flore Pardo, said the decision to send the case to trial was «entirely consistent with the evidence in the file and with the positions of the public prosecutor, the investigating judge and the advocate general at the Court of Appeal».
«This decision brings my client relief and hope. Relief at having been heard by the courts and at being entitled to a trial (...)», she added.
Earlier on Friday, Hakimi reacted to the ruling on social media.
«The justice system looked me in the eye and told me: ‘If you were not famous, there would never have been a case.’ I chose to remain silent for years. I believed that preserving my dignity, being patient and trusting the justice system would allow the right decisions to be made», he wrote following the decision to send the case to trial.
