Moroccan Official Arrested in UAE, Faces Extradition for Corruption Charges

The run is over for Sara Khaddar. She was arrested two days ago in the United Arab Emirates. She had fled Morocco, managing to leave Fez airport for Turkey, shortly before a decision was made to ban her from leaving Moroccan territory. The Court of Appeal of Fez had then issued an international arrest warrant against her. Coordination is underway between the security authorities of the United Arab Emirates and their Moroccan counterparts to organize her extradition to further investigate the charges against her.

The first vice-president of the Saïss district council is wanted as part of the legal proceedings in the case of embezzlement of public funds and extortion around the mayor of Fez and his deputy. Several people questioned during the investigations conducted by the regional brigade of the judicial police cited her name. Among them, the former deputy Abdelkader El Boussairi as well as several entrepreneurs whose testimonies were collected.

Influential members of the municipal council as well as officials and entrepreneurs were arrested as part of this case. Among the most notable personalities implicated in this case is the former deputy of the Union of Socialist Popular Forces, Abdelkader El Boussairi. Prosecuted at large, the current mayor, Abdessalam Bekkali, also a member of the National Rally of Independents Party, was sentenced to six months in prison.