Four on Trial in Rabat for Kidnapping, Torture of Young Man

The defendants attacked the victim with tear gas, then took him to a house where they sequestered and assaulted him with a knife before robbing him of all his belongings. The accused then undressed the young man and asked the only girl in the group to film him, reports Assabah.

The victim managed to escape after 24 hours of sequestration. Taken to the hospital, he was examined by a doctor who issued him a medical certificate of 28 days of incapacity. In his statements to the police, the young man said he had been attacked while trying to separate a friend and one of the attackers who were arguing in a cafe.

The other members of the gang thought he had attacked their friend and decided to take revenge. This is how he was attacked and sequestered. The defendants put up fierce resistance during their arrest, threatening the police with knives, which led the latter to draw their service weapons to subdue them.

The investigation opened has revealed that the gang leader, nicknamed "Laaskri", was the subject of several complaints. He is accused, among other things, by his neighbor of having broken into his home and stolen the sum of 20,000 dirhams. The four accused are being prosecuted for sequestration, assault with a knife and aggravated theft.