Judicial Source to FesNews: Fez Financial Crimes Court Sentences Defendant to 18 Months in Prison and 300,000 MAD Damages in “Marafik Berkane” Embezzlement Case

FEZ (FesNews Media) — A well-informed judicial source has revealed to FesNews Media that the Primary Criminal Chamber for Financial Crimes at the Fez Court of Appeal has delivered a decisive verdict reinforcing criminal oversight over Local Development Companies (SDLs). The court convicted a primary defendant of embezzling public funds, sentencing him to 18 months of effective imprisonment and a fine of 20,000 MAD.

The same source told FesNews Media that the judicial panel acquitted the primary defendant of the remaining charges and cleared six other co-defendants prosecuted in the same Berkane case, ordering the restitution of their posted bail amounts.

In the civil claim joined to the public prosecution, our source noted that the court ordered the convicted defendant to pay total civil damages of 300,000 MAD (30 million centimes) to the Local Development Company “Marafik Berkane” through its legal representative, while declaring itself incompetent regarding civil claims filed against the six acquitted defendants.

According to information obtained by FesNews Media, the ruling sends an unequivocal message to managers of Local Development Companies across the Fez-Meknes, Oriental, and Draa-Tafilalet regions that public funds entrusted to corporate municipal entities remain subject to the strictest criminal protection under Moroccan law.