Integrity Authority Calls for Tougher Penalties in Anti-Corruption Fight

For the National Authority for Probity, Prevention and the Fight against Corruption, the mandatory declaration of assets "has proven in practice, its inability to identify and monitor the suspicious evolution of wealth". Then, controlling the assets of an official or a leader only at the end of his term exposes the risk of forfeiture of certain crimes.

Moreover, the fact that only the Court of Auditors is in charge of the control risks also limiting the powers of the public prosecutor’s office, in terms of receiving complaints in this area. The seizure of suspicious funds requires the transfer of files from the Court of Auditors to the Public Prosecutor’s Office; but it remains to be seen whether the latter will submit them directly to justice or whether it has the competence to deepen the investigations for the prosecution of unscrupulous officials.

Also, the INPPLC advocates the establishment of a specific legal framework, since the crime in question is of a particular nature. It intends to involve other institutions capable of providing information and allowing the detection and measurement of the increase in the assets of the persons concerned. The INPPLC cites in particular the Land Registry, the Foreign Exchange Office, the Directorate General of Taxes, Customs, and banking institutions...

Especially, much more than the fines of 100,000 to 1 million DH, in addition to the deprivation of holding a public office, the Integrity Authority indicates the institution of custodial sentences for proven crimes. Such provisions will deter and, it is hoped, make the new institution’s fight effective.