Morocco Tightens Crackdown on Land Grabbing with New Sanctions

The commission brings together the various legal professions, as well as a leading institution, which is the National Agency for Land Conservation, Cadastre and Cartography (ANCFCC). In addition to the Minister of Justice, the session was also attended by Karim Tajmouati, Director General of the ANCFCC, and Abdellatif Yagou, President of the National Council of Notaries.

It must be said that the issue of land grabbing is very serious in Morocco. The justice system is currently dealing with 38 cases of real estate spoliation. This number is lower than the one brandished by an announcement that speaks of a hundred cases.

The meeting on Tuesday, February 25 was held after the legislative framework was strengthened by two bills, No. 3218 and No. 3318. The first text gives the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the investigating judge and the court the power to place under sequestration a real estate property that is the subject of land grabbing during the preliminary investigation stage, or to refer the case to the court as part of the ongoing public action.

As for the second project, its objective is to "unify" the penalty relating to the offenses of forgery committed in the preparation of contracts.