Belgian Chemist Jailed in Morocco: Family Claims Innocence in Child Abuse Case

For nearly four years, Marc has been serving his sentence in a prison in Morocco, after his conviction for indecent assault. A fact he did not commit, defends his sister Nicky. "Marc has been incarcerated in Morocco since 2021. He was convicted for acts he did not commit. As a family, we feel completely powerless," she says.

"A poorly chosen love and a false accusation have destroyed his life," adds Marc’s sister, who holds her brother’s Moroccan-born wife responsible for the "misfortune" that has befallen him. The couple married in 2004. "My brother was madly in love. But I quickly realized that his wife was mainly after his money. My brother was a wealthy bachelor. He is a doctor in chemistry and has always worked very hard. He lived in Spain and worked there for a Chinese company. Over time, I saw that she was taking advantage of him, but he was so smitten," she details.

After the birth of their son in 2017, Marc "wanted to come back to live in Belgium so that their son could go to school there, but she (his wife) preferred to stay in Spain. It went wrong and they decided to divorce. Shortly afterwards, the woman accused him of sexual abuse. First only on their son, then also on her two children from a previous relationship. Children that Marc Moerman had raised all these years."

The judge in Bruges acquitted Marc Moerman, for lack of proof of abuse on his son and stepchildren. The sexagenarian even obtained custody of his son. But in the meantime, the woman took the child to Morocco. In 2021, Marc was arrested in the kingdom where he had gone to find his son. He will then be sentenced to five years in prison for indecent assault on his son and stepchildren. "The conviction in Morocco is based on the statements of the woman and her two older children. In addition, some of Marc’s statements were poorly translated, which was detrimental to him," Ncky points out.

All the attempts made by the Bruges man’s family to obtain his release have been in vain. "My brother is losing courage. [...] Today, he has no more hope. The conditions in the Moroccan prison are deplorable..." his sister declares. And she concludes: "We ask our leaders for help and humanity. Because our brother is not a monster." The Federal Minister of Justice, Annelies Verlinden, will travel to Morocco in the fall and has promised to address Marc’s case with the Moroccan authorities.