The Second-Degree Criminal Chamber at Rabat Court of Appeals in charge of terrorism cases on Wednesday upheld the lower court’s verdict against a number of defendants that had been convicted of the murder of an on-duty police officer and the mutilation of his body.
The appellate tribunal affirmed the October 12 guilty verdict that resulted in sentences of the death penalty for the principal perpetrator of the crime (identified only as H.R.), and life in prison for two other defendants (M.K. and M.K.).
Their convictions stemmed from their formation of a criminal group with the intention of planning and carrying out acts of terrorism designed to seriously disrupt public order through intimidation and violence.
The charges included deliberate assault with premeditation, possession of firearms and ammunition, as well as the promotion and distribution of propaganda of a terrorist organization.
The appellate court upheld a five-year prison term for eight defendants and four years for another, each of whom had been convicted of organizing a gang to plan and execute terrorist acts, promoting and propagating a terrorist organization, endorsing acts constituting a terrorist crime, failure to report a terrorist crime, and holding a public gathering without authorization.
During the oral argument, the public prosecutor called for the verdicts to be affirmed, asserting that the elements constituting the crimes had been properly established for all defendants, and were proven by their confessions at various stages of the investigation.
The lawyer for the civil plaintiffs argued that the verdicts should be upheld, although the civil damages amount should be increased as it did not fairly represent the suffering caused to the victim’s family.
The defendants’ lawyers argued that mitigating circumstances should lessen the sentences.
The incident unfolded in March 2023, when the police officer, a member of the traffic brigade in Casablanca’s Errahma district, disappeared immediately after completing his duties on a Wednesday evening, leaving behind his effects which were found to bear traces of blood.
Thorough investigation and search operations led to the discovery of the police officer’s burnt corpse inside a sewer near Douar Lkhadara, in Had Soualem near Casablanca, along with his handcuffs and the remains of his police vest.
The Casablanca Judicial Police arrested three ISIS-infiltrated extremists named (H.R, M.K. and M.K.) between Casablanca and Sidi Harazem, near Fez, for their alleged involvement in the murder of the police officer.
The perpetrators had intended to use the officer’s firearm in a bank robbery to finance their criminal and terrorist activities.
The murderers were found to have fatally stabbed the officer with knives, mutilated his body and set it on fire.