Former Marrakech Mayor and Deputy Face New Evidence in COP 22 Corruption Probe

The former mayor of Marrakech, Mohamed Larbi Belcaid and his deputy Younes Benslimane allegedly maintained a business relationship with H.Z., a businessman, the owner of a company in the ochre city, reports the Arabic-language newspaper Al Akhbar. His company would have benefited from several contracts awarded during the 2016 Marrakech Climate Change Conference (COP 22), for a value of 280 million DH.

A document proves that the former deputy mayor was the associate of the entrepreneur implicated in 2004 in another company. Younes Benslimane acknowledged the facts and assured that since the company in question has been liquidated. But another document shows that the businessman transferred his shares in this company to the former deputy mayor in 2007. It was also discovered that other agreements - a park in the Al Izdihar district, in the Guéliz district and the rehabilitation of Jamaâ El Fna square - were signed in the context of COP 22.

The next hearing will open on December 22nd.