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The Naciri-Bioui Affair: Unraveling a Sordid Tale of Alleged Corruption
As the trial against Saïd Naciri, the former president of Wydad Casablanca and the prefectural council of Casablanca, and Abdenbi Bioui, the president of the Oriental Council, is set to commence on Thursday, May 23rd, the intricate details of this explosive case have captured the nation's attention. Brace yourselves as we delve into the narrative of an affair that has rocked Morocco's political landscape.
The Spark that Ignited the Inferno: December 21st
On December 21st, following a preliminary investigation, the National Brigade of the Judicial Police presented a group of 26 individuals, including Naciri and Bioui, to the public prosecutor's office. These individuals were suspected of involvement in an international drug trafficking ring, infamously dubbed the "Escobar of the Sahara" case.
On the same day, the public prosecutor at the Casablanca Court of Appeal interrogated these individuals and subsequently ordered that the investigation be entrusted to an investigating judge. Twenty-one individuals, including Naciri and Bioui, both members of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), were remanded in custody.
The investigation was promptly initiated and continued throughout the night until 9 a.m. the following day, Friday, December 22nd, when the judge announced adherence to the public prosecutor's requisitions. Naciri and Bioui were then placed in custody at Oukacha prison.
The Litany of Accusations
The two accused face a multitude of charges. Abdenbi Bioui stands accused of forgery of public documents, extortion, complicity in falsifying public records, arbitrary actions infringing upon individual liberty for personal gain, corruption, facilitating the illegal entry and exit of Moroccan nationals, attempted drug exportation without declaration or authorization, and complicity in these acts.
Additionally, he faces allegations of participation in a conspiracy for the possession, transportation, exportation, and commercialization of narcotics, concealment of ill-gotten gains, involvement in false testimony, unauthorized vehicle usage, forgery of private documents, and unauthorized foreign currency transactions for real estate acquisitions in Morocco.
As for Saïd Naciri, the charges leveled against him include forgery of public documents, fraud and attempted fraud, influence peddling by an elected official, coercing others into making false statements through threats and pressure, concealment of ill-gotten gains, check forgery, attempted drug exportation without declaration or authorization, complicity in drug trafficking, and unauthorized importation of foreign currency.
It is worth noting that under Moroccan criminal law, sentences are not cumulative. In cases involving multiple crimes or offenses before the same court, a single prison sentence is imposed, with the duration not exceeding the maximum penalty prescribed by law for the most severe offense.
The Closing of the Investigation Phase: March 22nd
The investigation phase in this case was concluded on Friday, March 22nd, and the case was referred for trial. The investigating judge presented his findings to the King's public prosecutor at the Casablanca Court of Appeal. These findings outline the charges against the accused, who will face trial before the Casablanca Court of Appeal, the competent jurisdiction for adjudicating criminal cases in the first instance.
As the trial commences, the nation holds its collective breath, eagerly awaiting the unfolding of a case that has captivated the public imagination and shed light on the alleged misdeeds of those entrusted with upholding the law.