Tangier Mayor Mounir Laymouri Jailed Amid Electoral Fraud Investigation

Monday 05 - 15:30

The mayor of Tangier, Mounir Laymouri, has been placed in custody as part of a preliminary investigation into suspected electoral fraud, adding a new legal dimension to a case that emerged during Morocco’s legislative elections on September 23.

Laymouri and an accountant working for his company were transferred to the local prison in Asilah after spending three days in police custody. The decision followed Laymouri’s return from Malaga, Spain, according to the information surrounding the investigation.

The case is centered on allegations linked to electoral operations in Tangier. Laymouri had been involved in managing the campaign of a candidate representing the Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM), commonly associated with Morocco’s “Tractor” political symbol.

Investigation expands after polling-day incident

The affair came to light on election day, when an individual was reportedly found inside a polling station in Tangier carrying a bag containing ballot papers. The discovery prompted authorities to investigate possible irregularities surrounding the electoral process.

Five people were initially arrested in connection with the case. The prosecutor’s office attached to the Tangier Court of Appeal later announced the detention of two additional suspects, bringing the total number of people arrested to seven.

The arrests reflect the widening scope of an investigation that is seeking to establish how the suspected electoral operation was organized and whether the individuals involved had coordinated their actions.

PAM suspends Laymouri pending judicial findings

In response to the allegations, the Party of Authenticity and Modernity suspended Laymouri’s membership while the judicial process moves forward.

The measure does not establish criminal responsibility. The investigation remains ongoing, and the allegations against those detained will have to be assessed through the judicial process.

Authorities are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, the role allegedly played by each suspect and the possible extent of any electoral violations.

For now, the case remains under investigation, with prosecutors expected to determine whether further legal proceedings are warranted once the relevant evidence has been reviewed.