Mustapha Tabet Morocco Scandal: Rapist Commissioner Exposed 1993

The shockwave spreads on February 3, 1993. Two female students walk through the doors of the Casablanca-Anfa prosecutor’s office to file a complaint against Mohamed Mustapha Tabet, then chief commissioner at Aïn Sebaâ-Hay Mohammadi. They accuse him of violence, rape and unlawful confinement. At that time, reporting sexual assault is unthinkable. Victims often face shame and silence. But this time, the complaint brings to light a secret investigation conducted by the royal gendarmerie.

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The man had nevertheless built himself an irreproachable public image. Son of a fqih, former schoolteacher, he experienced rapid advancement within the intelligence services. His numerous pilgrimages to Mecca even earned him the respectful nickname "Hajj Tabet". Dressed in an impeccable suit, he cultivated his appearance as a respectable and devoted man. Yet behind the scenes, this predator led a terrifying double life, even interrupting his crimes to perform his regular prayers.

The investigation reveals a meticulously refined modus operandi. The official targeted his prey on the streets, at university exits or on Casablanca’s beaches. A network of intermediaries, including hairdressers, also helped him identify new victims. Lured by deception or subjected to direct threats, these women found themselves trapped in an apartment on Boulevard Abdellah Ben Yassine. The commissioner used his authority to suppress the initial complaints filed against him.

The turning point comes in summer 1992 after a pornographic cassette circulates clandestinely to Milan, alerting a victim’s brother who contacts the highest state authorities. On February 2, 1993, the gendarmerie raids the apartment. The soldiers discover sophisticated surveillance equipment, cocaine and especially 118 videotapes, according to Jeune Afrique. The recordings reveal scenes of barbarism and absolute blackmail targeting 518 identified victims, including wives and daughters of police officers.

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The trial opens on February 18, 1993 before the Casablanca court of appeal, captivating the entire nation. Before the judges, the accused denies the violence and claims the relations were consensual, claiming up to 1,600 encounters in three years. The unbearable viewing of the tapes in closed session causes discomfort among several lawyers. The verdict finally comes in the night of March 14-15, 1993: condemned to capital punishment for acts of barbarism and rape, Mustapha Tabet is executed by firing squad on August 9, 1993.