Former Moroccan Minister Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Conflict of Interest Contracts

Claiming to have evidence of the leader of the National Rally of Independents (RNI)’s guilt, Ibtissam Merras is ready to go all the way in this case.

According to the documents revealed by the Akhbarona website, while he was still in office, Belkhayat created the "HASOFA Holding" company in 2010.

The same minister hired "Intralot", a structure specialized in activities similar to those of the minister’s company, to manage his own company for ten years, for an amount of 3,416,940 dirhams per year.

As head of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sports Champions, the minister is also said to have signed a partnership contract with the same company. The terms of this new agreement stipulate that 1% of its annual profits would go to the same Foundation.

According to the same media, between 2011 and 2016, this partnership generated nearly 10 million dirhams, while between 2016 and 2018, it generated 15 million dirhams. Moreover, the number of members of the Foundation does not exceed 800 people and the activities would be organized only very rarely.

The former minister is also accused of having appointed his uncle, Saïd Belkhayat, as director of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sports Champions, with a monthly salary of 35,000 dirhams and benefits far exceeding his salary.