Former Marrakech Deputy Mayor Sentenced to 2 Years for Misappropriating $1.5 Million

Al Hour had been on trial at large since 2017 in a case of "waste of public money". As deputy mayor (2009-2015 term), the new councilor had the mayor’s signing authority. This position allowed him to sign decisions that cost the city’s budget more than 15 million dirhams spent in less than 10 days, reports SRNT News.

The political leader was arrested in February 2017 and held in custody for 24 hours, before being released and prosecuted at large. During his trial, he was not cooperative, citing health problems to be absent from the court, the same source notes, adding that at the same time, he attended the work of the Marrakech municipal council and the Guéliz district council.

On Wednesday evening, the criminal chamber of the court of first instance of Marrakech handed down its decision, sentencing him to two years in prison and a fine of 50,000 Dh. This former municipal councilor had already been convicted on appeal in another case, better known as the "Saidi casino affair".