National Police Director Abdellatif Hammouchi temporarily suspended two Police Commissioners–one in Casablanca and one in Oujda–over accusations of involvement in the “Sahara Escobar” scandal. The suspension will remain in effect until the end of ongoing legal proceedings at the Court of Appeals in Casablanca.
According to a security source, the decision to temporarily suspend the implicated policemen is the result of a judicial investigation launched by the National Judicial Police Unit after suspicions arose about their involvement in criminal activities related to the 25 people who appeared before the Public Prosecutor in Casablanca.
Administrative investigations launched in parallel with judicial ones have raised concerns about actions having been committed which are by nature antithetical to the values of the police profession as a whole, thereby potentially damaging the DGSN reputation.
This disciplinary rendering complies with the National Police commitment to improving police integrity, transparency, and discipline as a means to develop effective security governance and to ensure equitable application of the law for all citizens.