Former Moroccan Minister Faces Trial for Alleged Corruption and Contract Overcharging

In addition to the former minister, other defendants for the embezzlement of public funds, influence peddling, corruption and forgery of documents - engineers, civil servants, entrepreneurs, technicians and heads of study firms, some of whom are being prosecuted in custody - were also heard by the investigating judge in charge of financial crimes at the Casablanca Court of Appeal on Wednesday regarding the overcharging in connection with contracts awarded by the Fkih Ben Salah commune when Moubdii was its president. The magistrate confronted all the accused with the results of the investigation conducted by the National Brigade of the Judicial Police (BNPJ), which "concludes that there were manipulations in the transactions, fraudulent awarding of public contracts to certain study offices and the embezzlement of public funds and corruption," reports the Arabic-language daily Assabah.

To read:

Moubdii was incarcerated in April for financial crimes. He was prosecuted in particular for the embezzlement of public funds, the misappropriation of money, criminal conspiracy following the dysfunctions noted in the management of the municipality of Fkih Ben Salah by the Court of Auditors, in particular in the conclusion of public contracts relating to urban rehabilitation in violation of the provisions provided for by the laws and regulations in force. The former president of the commune and seven other suspects had then been placed in pre-trial detention in the Oukacha prison, while six others were prosecuted in a state of provisional release and placed under judicial supervision with the withdrawal of their passport.