Fez Financial Crimes Court Enforces Police-Escorted Witness Summonses to Accelerate Public Funds Trials

FEZ (FesNews Media) — In a decisive procedural move aimed at preventing trial delays in complex corruption cases, the Primary Financial Crimes Chamber at the Fez Court of Appeal has activated compulsory police-escorted witness summonses against key witnesses who failed to appear despite receiving formal judicial notifications.

According to exclusive judicial records reviewed by FesNews Media, the judicial panel ordered during its early November 2026 hearings that a key witness (B.) be brought before the court under law enforcement escort via the Public Prosecution for an upcoming hearing scheduled in late November in a financial crime trial involving two defendants.

The Legal Framework of Compulsory Witness Escort in Moroccan Procedure

Under the Moroccan Code of Criminal Procedure, the presiding judge and the Public Prosecution hold statutory authority to compel the attendance of any witness—whether a civil servant, municipal technician, auditor, or police report declarant—whose testimony is deemed essential to establishing the truth in financial crime proceedings.

When a duly summoned witness fails to appear without a valid legal excuse, the court instructs the Public Prosecution to mandate judicial police officers to escort the witness directly to the courtroom on the appointed hearing date, safeguarding the authority of the judiciary and the continuity of proceedings.

Major Financial Crime Files Scheduled for Late November and December

Alongside the enforcement of compulsory witness attendance, the dockets of both the Primary and Appellate Financial Crimes Chambers in Fez show a series of major public fund cases scheduled for final arguments and verdicts during late November and December 2026.

These dockets include multi-defendant prosecutions—ranging from 11 to 15 defendants per file—joined by the Judicial Agent of the Kingdom, territorial municipalities, and public institutions as civil parties, where the court has completed summons verifications and technical audit exchanges.

Upholding the Constitutional Principle of Trial Within a Reasonable Time

By strictly enforcing witness attendance and curbing procedural adjournments, the Fez Financial Crimes Court reinforces the constitutional mandate of adjudicating cases within a reasonable timeframe (Article 120 of the Moroccan Constitution), ensuring timely judicial accountability in matters affecting public finance.

In strict compliance with Moroccan press ethics, Press and Publishing Law No. 88.13, and Personal Data Protection Law No. 09.08, FesNews Media upholds the constitutional presumption of innocence for all individuals referenced by initials and guarantees the full right of reply before the competent judicial authorities.