Corruption Probe Targets President of Moroccan Spa Town Council

Jawad Al-Dawahi caught up by justice? The president of the provincial council of Moulay Yacoub will be heard by the investigating judge of the first Chamber in charge of financial crimes as part of an in-depth investigation into suspected dysfunctions in the management of public funds. The RNI elected official will have to answer before the courts on various accusations, including those of "misappropriation of public funds" and "embezzlement", reports the Arabic daily Al Akhbar, adding that the initial conclusions of this investigation confirm the existence of major anomalies, including the absence of documents and other justifications for the expenses incurred by the provincial council.

This case came to light after a complaint was filed by a member of the Moulay Yacoub provincial council. He holds Jawad Al-Dawahi responsible for an expenditure in particular (a sum of one million dirhams) allocated to catering expenses, over three years, without any justification, a repair service, carried out on the building housing the council, paid 80,000 dirhams and other services for which several million have been squandered or diverted.

Several contractors who have won public contracts, including the acquisition of uniforms for civil servants, as well as catering expenses at exorbitant amounts, during the Covid-19 period, initiated by the Provincial Council, as well as other officials of this territorial administration have been heard by the investigators of the regional services of the Gendarmerie. But the documents sought, in particular justifications for services, remain untraceable.