Morocco Seeks Extradition of Key Suspect in High-Profile Murder Case

Things are accelerating for Abdelaziz L., alleged right-hand man of Reda Abakrim, aka "Turbo." Morocco has submitted a request for his extradition to the French authorities. "His direct involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Réda Faras was established during investigations conducted in Morocco," says a judicial source interviewed by Médias24. According to the source, this request has no chance of success, as Abdelaziz L. also holds French nationality.

"In absolute terms, extradition is a sovereign judicial decision. The territoriality of the criminal acts, in addition to the nationality of the suspect, makes this extradition unlikely," explains Omar Mahmoud Bendjelloun, a lawyer registered with the Rabat and Marseille bars. In this case, the victim’s family can appeal to the French justice system "as they can also appeal to the Moroccan justice system, which will deal with other crimes if the condition of territoriality is met," he adds.

On February 8, 2024, Rym Fikri’s husband was kidnapped near his home in Casablanca by individuals in an SUV. His body was later discovered in a riverbed near Rabat. An investigation is ongoing. Reda Abakrim, aka "Turbo," was arrested as part of this investigation. He had been prosecuted for a similar case in 2007 before being acquitted in the first instance. Five other individuals were also arrested. Turbo and his co-defendants are being prosecuted in Casablanca for "kidnapping," "sequestration," "torture," and "premeditated homicide."