Fez Appeal Court Financial Crimes Prosecutor Orders Probe into Suspected Management Irregularities at Berkane Commune

FEZ (FesNews Media) — The financial and administrative management of a territorial commune in Berkane Province, located in Morocco’s Oriental Region, has officially come under judicial scrutiny after detailed reports of suspected governance irregularities were placed before the Financial Crimes Prosecution at the Fez Court of Appeal, informed sources told FesNews.

According to the same sources, the King’s Attorney General at the Fez Court of Appeal acted swiftly upon reviewing the filings concerning the management of the Berkane commune, instructing the competent judicial police brigade to open a comprehensive investigation to verify the reported irregularities and determine all potential legal and administrative liabilities.

Exclusive information obtained by FesNews indicates that the judicial inquiry was not triggered by a single filing alone. Following an initial complaint lodged at the beginning of October, the Financial Crimes Prosecution received a second formal filing last week requesting a comprehensive audit and oversight of the same territorial commune’s management in Berkane Province, prompting prosecutors to issue fresh instructions broadening the scope of the investigation.

The preliminary investigation ordered by the Public Prosecution is expected to examine a wide range of administrative decisions, financial records, and public procurement contracts related to the commune’s governance, while hearing all concerned parties to assess compliance with public finance regulations. Throughout this phase, the presumption of innocence remains fully guaranteed for all individuals concerned pending the conclusion of the preliminary inquiry.

The referral of this case to the Financial Crimes Division at the Fez Court of Appeal stems from the court’s broad regional jurisdiction over public funds offenses, which encompasses all provinces across three major regions: Fez-Meknes, the Oriental Region, and Draa-Tafilalet, making the Fez appellate court a central hub for public governance accountability across northeastern and central Morocco.

Last week, the Primary Felony Chamber for Financial Crimes at the Fez Court of Appeal also delivered a notable verdict in a separate public funds case linked to Berkane Province, sentencing a primary defendant to 18 months in prison and ordering the payment of 300,000 dirhams in civil damages to the local development company “Marafik Berkane” for the misappropriation of public funds—underscoring heightened judicial vigilance over local governance in the Oriental Region.

News of the Fez Financial Crimes Prosecution’s intervention in the Berkane commune dossier has sparked widespread anticipation among political actors, elected officials, and civil society across the Oriental Region, amid growing calls for strict constitutional accountability and transparency in the management of local public resources.