Corruption Scandal Rocks Moroccan Parliament: Majority Parties Lead in Prosecutions

The National Rally of Independents (RNI), the party of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, holds the record with eight deputies prosecuted in court. These include among others Mohamed Boudrika, elected from Mers Sultan, sentenced to five years in prison for financial malpractices; Abderrahim Ouaslam, deputy from Rabat-Océan, sentenced to eight months suspended prison sentence and a fine of 100,000 dirhams for issuing bad checks; Rachid El Fayek, deputy from Fès, sentenced to five years in prison for human trafficking, indecent assault on a minor with mental deficiency and rape, details the magazine. As for Mohamed Hidawi, he was convicted for illegal resale of 2022 World Cup tickets, while Mustapha Toutou was convicted for illegal mining. Younes Benslimane and Ismaïl Barhoumi, on the other hand, were convicted for embezzlement of public funds. Prosecuted for financial irregularities as mayor of Ksar El-Kebir, Mohamed Simo was acquitted.

Four deputies from the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), the majority party, are also mentioned in corruption cases. The best known case is that of Saïd Naciri, former deputy of Casablanca and former president of the Prefectural Council of the city, prosecuted in the "Pablo Escobar of the Sahara" case, recalls the publication, adding that the elected officials Rahou El Hilaâ (Tiflet), Hicham Mhajri (Chichaoua) and Ahmed Touizi (Al Haouz) are prosecuted for fraudulent management. While the latter was acquitted last May, Abdelouahed Messoudi, elected from Taza, was convicted of defamation and insult, and dismissed from his duties as mayor due to irregularities in the construction sector. Deputies from the Istiqlal Party are also affected. Mohamed Karimine, deputy-mayor of Bouznika, was recently sentenced to seven years in prison for embezzlement of public funds and abuse of power. Saleh Oughbal, elected from Khenifra, was sentenced to five years in prison for a bad check case, and Abderrazak Ahlouche was dismissed from his duties as president of the commune of Souihla in Marrakech for mismanagement.

In total, 16 deputies from the majority out of the 30 prosecuted or convicted for corruption and other related offenses. The remaining 14 are from the opposition, notably from the USFP (4 deputies), the Constitutional Union (4), the Popular Movement (3), the PPS (2), and the Democratic and Social Movement (1). None of the 12 deputies of the Party of Justice and Development (PJD) are prosecuted for acts of corruption, notes Jeune Afrique, which sees in these convictions of elected officials an expression of the independence of the Moroccan justice system. NGOs defending public funds as well as human rights activists welcome and encourage this judicial dynamic.