Suspect Arrested in Fatal Kidnapping Over Money Dispute in Moroccan City of Jerada

The details are provided by the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) in a press release, which specifies that a 33-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday morning for his alleged involvement in a case of kidnapping and assault and battery resulting in death.

The initial elements of the investigation conducted by the police services suggest a dispute over a sum of money. "The accused tied up and kidnapped the victim, also a repeat offender, before attacking him with a bladed weapon, which resulted in his death," the DGSN said, adding that "the crime would be due to a dispute over a sum of money that the defendant had given to the victim to be able to emigrate illegally to Europe."

The accused, who already has a long criminal record, was arrested and placed in custody. He will be brought before the judge at the end of the ongoing investigation.

Last week, it was a young man in his twenties who was found dead, tied up in an apartment in Fez. The kidnappers, three in number, had contacted his father demanding the sum of 200,000 dirhams for his release. Despite the father’s promises to gather the sum by Monday (the call had taken place on Saturday), the kidnappers killed him by strangling him. They were arrested a little later in Ksar Sghir. It seems, still according to the DGSN, that this kidnapping is linked to a cocaine case.