Identity Mix-Up Leads to Mistaken Death Declaration of Moroccan Immigrant in Spain

Amine Faqhi arrived in Spain about three months ago from Italy using a photocopy of his brother Mohcine Faqhi’s passport. A few weeks ago, the national police officers took Amine’s fingerprints, who, being in an irregular situation (without identity documents), presented the same photocopy of his brother Mohcine’s passport.

Upon his death on January 11, the agents again took his fingerprints which correspond, in the police database, to those registered in the name of Mohcine. This is how his body was officially identified as that of Mohcine Faqhi, 32 years old. After the autopsy performed at the Catalonia Institute of Forensic Medicine, the court informed the Moroccan consulate of the death of one of its nationals.

Without news of him for a few weeks, Amine’s family already feared the worst, before the Moroccan authorities contacted them to announce the death, no longer of Amine but of Mohcine. Total surprise. The height of astonishment, especially since Mohcine lives in Khourigba, near Casablanca, and has never traveled to Spain.

To clarify the situation, an Amine cousin, Nisrine, went to Barcelona from Milan. Once there, she presented the court with the identity documents of the two brothers. Then, on the judge’s instructions, she was taken to the police station to make a statement. Then she was taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine to authenticate Amine’s body.

The court ordered the police to have the fingerprints of the corpse compared with those of Amine by the Moroccan authorities. After which, the procedure for repatriating the remains can be initiated.