PSG defender Achraf Hakimi charged with alleged rape

The Moroccan international is facing investigation for the charges against him.

Achraf Hakimi, a defender for Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco, has been accused of rape by French authorities. Hakimi, 24, is charged with raping a lady last month at his suburban Paris residence.

On Sunday of last week, a 24-year-old lady went to a police station to file a complaint, but she didn't press charges.

Investigation

An inquiry into the matter started earlier this week. On Friday morning he was reported and had been prosecuted over the claims after being interrogated by detectives on Thursday.

The claims are 'false,' according to what Hakimi's attorney said later in the week.

'The accusations are false. He is calm and is making himself available to the authorities,' Hakimi's lawyer Fanny Colin said. 

'The club supports the player, who has firmly denied the accusations and trusts the justice system,' PSG said in a statement earlier this week. 'Paris St-Germain is an institution that promotes respect on and off the pitch.'

The state attorney general's office handling the matter declined to speak when asked earlier this week. Though they stated material that had been disclosed in the media 'undermined the essential investigations to find out the truth'.

According to the accusations' report, which was published in La Parisien, Hakimi was only informed of the investigation's opening 90 minutes prior to Monday night's Best FIFA Football Awards celebration in Paris.

FIFA Awards

In recognition of his efforts, he was nominated to the FIFPro men's world squad of the year at the event.

Together with other winners, notably his PSG colleagues Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, Hakimi took the stage to accept the trophy.

Hakimi was a member of the Morocco team that placed fourth in Qatar in the World Cup.

His spot-kick helped Morocco enter uncharted ground against Spain by securing a 3-0 victory in the penalty shootout. He was born in Madrid. The north African team eventually became the first team from the Arab world to make it all the way to the World Cup's final four.