Kenitra’s Court of Instance declared that engaging in a sexual activity with a minor who cannot possibly consent, legally known as statutory rape, amounts to a human trafficking crime as per Article 448-1 and Article 448-2 of the Criminal Code. As a consequence, the court ruled that it has no jurisdiction over the matter which should be referred to the competent authority.
The court gave the ruling on May 02 in the case of a man who took in his house an underage girl (who was previously living in an orphanage in Kenitra), and was having sexual relations with her for two years, resulting in a pregnancy.
The court observed that the defendant took advantage of the minor’s predicament (she had been sexually assaulted in the past) to lure her to having a relationship with him.
The suspect confessed having had “consensual” sexual intercourses with the victim from when she was under the age of 14.
The minor had already filed a complaint for being evicted from the conjugal home, even after a traditional marriage (reading the Fatiha), and keeping her from seeing her daughter.