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Marrakech Urban Agency Director Arrested in 500,000 Dirham Bribery Sting
Sunday 7 July 2019, by
The Director of the Urban Agency, Khalid Ouaya, was arrested in the act of corruption, as he was about to receive a bribe of 500,000 dirhams from a real estate developer in the city. The operation was carried out by the National Brigade of the Judicial Police (BNPJ).
A real estate developer with several projects in the ochre city on his record filed a complaint with the Attorney General against the Director of the Urban Agency of Marrakech. He accuses him of attempted extortion of funds.
According to the daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribia, the Director in question was demanding an enormous bribe of 500,000 dirhams in order to speed up the procedures for an investment file. Under the supervision of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the elements of the BNPJ set a trap for the Director of the agency, who was to meet the real estate developer after leaving a meeting at the Wilaya.
The Director in question was apprehended in the act of corruption, as he was receiving the said sum from the developer. Trying to flee, he ended up colliding with a police car. He was placed in custody, on charges of corruption, before being subjected to a series of questions related to the large sum received and the reasons for his flight.
Later, a search carried out at the defendant’s home allowed the seizure of several files relating to real estate projects, as well as a large sum of money. The investigation focused on the many ongoing files and the steps taken in their instruction.