فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Fez, Wednesday 26 June 2024 – The Appeals Chamber of the Financial Crimes Court in Fez today overturned the previous acquittal and convicted Fez Mayor Abdessalam El Bakkali to 6 months in prison. The conviction comes as part of the corruption case that shook the Fès community, where he was accused of failing to report financial crimes that he knew were occurring.
The conviction refutes rumours circulating in cafes and social media that Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch intervened to obtain the acquittal of Abdessalam El-Bakkali. These rumours had alleged that political pressure was exerted to influence the course of justice in favour of the mayor.
This conviction confirms the independence of the Moroccan judiciary and its commitment to applying the law without any political influences or external pressures. This judgement reflects the judiciary’s keenness to fight corruption and ensure accountability for all officials, regardless of their positions or political affiliations.
The mayor of Fez, Abdessalam El Bakkali, was prosecuted on charges of “failure to report financial crimes with knowledge of their occurrence”, stipulated in Article 299 of the Criminal Code. In addition, the clerk of the Fez Community Council, Sofiane Derissi, was found guilty of “abuse of influence” under Article 250 of the Criminal Code.
Many citizens and activists expressed their satisfaction with the verdict, saying that it strengthens confidence in the judicial system and emphasises the need to fight corruption resolutely. They also noted the importance of continuing investigations into corruption cases and bringing those responsible for these offences to justice.
This conviction confirms the independence of the Moroccan judiciary and its commitment to achieving justice, which enhances the credibility of state institutions and reassures citizens that the law is applied to everyone without exception.
From the website: Fez News
