فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Fez – The investigating judge at the Fez Court of Appeal decided today, Monday, May 19th, to postpone the detailed interrogation of Mustapha Lakhsem, the president of the Imouzzer Kandar communal council (Sefrou province), until next Monday.
This postponement comes at the request of the plaintiff party, represented by four members of the same communal council, who filed a complaint with the Prosecutor General.
Lakhsem faces serious accusations concerning the alleged embezzlement of public funds and the falsification of official documents, linked to supposed irregularities in the management of the file of temporary contract workers.
During last Monday’s hearing, the investigating judge had ordered the closure of borders against the former kick-boxing world champion.
He also decided, at the end of the preliminary investigation, to prosecute the individual concerned provisionally, releasing him on bail of 20,000 dirhams, pending the continuation of the detailed investigation.
Elected Officials Accuse Lakhsem…
At the origin of this procedure is a complaint filed by the four communal councilors with the King’s Prosecutor General at the Court of Appeal, denouncing irregularities they described as serious in the administration of the commune, particularly regarding the recruitment of temporary workers and budget management.
The plaintiffs accuse Lakhsem of carrying out irregular, even fictitious, recruitments and of granting remuneration to individuals who allegedly do not perform any effective function within the community, which would constitute embezzlement of public funds.
Mustapha Lakhsem Defends Himself
Faced with rising tensions and repeated criticism, Mustapha Lakhsem had announced, on March 19th, his intention to resign from the presidency of the commune. In a video posted on his Instagram account, he spoke of a “systematic blockage” that had hindered all the planned structural projects for the town.
“I came to work and contribute to the development of my hometown, but some authorities stood in the way,” he declared, lamenting: “they believe they are harming me personally, but in reality, they are obstructing the town itself.”
He added that he intends to officially submit his resignation on October 1st, after the finalization of ongoing projects and the resolution of legal disputes, assuring that he wants to leave his post “with a clear conscience and clean hands.”
The next judicial step, scheduled for May 19th, could prove crucial. The investigating judge is expected to continue the detailed interrogation of Lakhsem and examine the evidence presented. If the facts are confirmed, other communal or administrative officials could in turn be investigated by the justice system.
Lakhsem Rejects the Accusations
Following the investigating judge’s decision to close the borders against him, Mustapha Lakhsem was quick to react publicly.
Lakhsem publicly contested the judicial decision in a video broadcast on his Instagram account. The president of the Imouzzer Kandar commune expressed his incomprehension and indignation. “I don’t understand why the judge made this decision… I am not a thief, I just wanted to serve my country sincerely,” he stated.
Lakhsem emphasized that this measure causes him professional prejudice, explaining that he regularly has to travel between Morocco and Europe for reasons related to his activities.
The former kick-boxing world champion also specified that his legal team will file an appeal against the investigating judge’s decision, pending a re-examination of the case.
This statement comes in a tense context, as the president of the Imouzzer Kandar commune had already announced, last March, his decision to leave the presidency of the commune, denouncing a “political blockage orchestrated by the authorities” that had paralyzed several local projects.
The man, who has forged the image of an “anti-corruption mayor” fighting against what he calls “dubious practices,” had notably lost his majority (the opposition holds 17 seats out of a total of 28), and since then, his problems with elected officials have not ceased. Case to be continued…
