Saint-Etienne Mosque Rector Acquitted in Illegal Labor Case After Decade-Long Legal Battle

After 10 years of proceedings between the first complaint, the indictment of Larbi Marchiche, a first dismissal, the appeal of the Saint-Étienne public prosecutor’s office, the rector of the great Mohammed-VI mosque - property of the King of Morocco - is finally cleared, reports Le Progrès. On Thursday, he was acquitted before the court of the city. He was accused of providing illegal labor for the completion of the place of worship.

The case dates back to 2009. Larbi Marchiche had gone to Morocco to ask King Mohammed VI for help with the finishing touches on the mosque. A project started in 2005. This is how in the spring of 2009, more than 50 Moroccan workers, specialized in mosaic, wood, staff, arrived in Saint-Étienne to work for nine months. About fifty according to the representative of the great mosque; 70, according to the justice system. But one of them seized the justice system and claims to have never been paid.

During the hearing on Thursday, the president of the court, Vaillant, addresses the accused. "Why does Morocco award a contract?", she questions. "Because we no longer had the means to pay," replies Larbi Marchiche. "I went to see His Majesty who agreed to finance the completion of the work. I have been working with all government services for fifteen years and we have always respected all the rules. You know, where the name of the king (Mohammed VI) is, we cannot afford to do anything..."

The questions follow one another: Were the Moroccan workers really in order? Under what conditions did they work? And above all, did they work only for the site for which they had come? "I even introduced them to the prefect when he came to see the work," defends Larbi Marchiche. "There have been leniencies with labor law," indicates Merle, the public prosecutor. "[...] We asked the state services to be fluid, flexible, in the management of this file. And that, I don’t agree with it." In turn, he addresses the defendant: "Ten years. This is not a reasonable time for a litigant. I present my regrets to you."