Fes Court Postpones the Trial of Abdelali Hami in the Ait Jdid Case to May 5, 2025

The Criminal Appeals Chamber of the Court of Appeal in Fes postponed, on Monday morning, January 27, 2025, the hearing of the case involving Abdelali Hamiyeh, a member of the General Secretariat of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), in the case known as “The Ait Jdid Case,” to May 5, 2025. This decision was made due to the absence of key witness Khammar Al-Hadidi, who failed to attend for the second consecutive time. The court has decided to summon him again under the supervision of the Public Prosecution.

The case, which has sparked widespread debate in legal and political circles, revolves around the killing of left-wing student Benissa Ait Jdid in 1993 following clashes at the University of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah in Fes. Moroccan courts had acquitted Abdelali Hamiyeh of the murder charge at the time. However, the case was reopened in 2017 following the emergence of new testimony from the only witness in the case.

During the initial trial, the court sentenced Hamiyeh to three years in prison after 21 sessions, a decision that faced strong criticism from his defense lawyers and party members. Omar Al-Haloui, a member of Hamiyeh’s defense team, previously stated that the initial ruling was “unjust,” emphasizing that retrialing his client “violates the principle of not being tried twice for the same crime,” as per international conventions and the Moroccan constitution.

Al-Haloui further added that the defense team is relying on the appellate stage to ensure justice for their client, either by confirming that the case should not be legally reopened or by issuing a ruling of acquittal.

On the other hand, the reopening of the file has angered the Justice and Development Party, which issued a statement describing the complaint filed against Hamiyeh as “malicious” and politically motivated, expressing astonishment at the retrial of a case that had already been definitively decided.

source: fesnews media

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