The Financial Crimes Chamber of the Casablanca Court of Appeal denied at a hearing on Thursday the provisional release of 26 defendants who had all been held in custody pending trial of the “Sahara Escobar” case. These included Said Naciri, former head of Wydad Football Club previously with the Party of Authenticity and Modernity; and Abdenbi Bioui, Eastern Regional Council President.
At the outset of the hearing, the defense attorneys moved for provisional release of their clients, specifically Bioui and Naciri, the principal defendants in the case. They argued that these individuals have strong ties to their professions and families, which would ensure that they would show up for court when the trial begins.
The court granted in part and denied in part the motions, ruling that Naciri, Bioui, and 24 other defendants would remain in custody, while two others would be released pending trial.
The court rejected the arguments of one of the defense attorneys who highlighted the health issues of one defendant, a notary undergoing cancer treatment, as a reason for provisional release, ruling that she would remain in custody.
The defendants are accused in a criminal case involving allegations of drug trafficking, money laundering, and abuse of power. These allegations are connected to Hadj Ahmed Ben Ibrahim, also known as the “Malian Drug Baron” and, more notoriously, the “Escobar of the Sahara.”
Ben Ibrahim is a purported drug baron who operated a multimillion-dollar drug trafficking enterprise spanning numerous African and Latin American countries. He was sentenced to more than ten years in prison.
The list of suspects, which currently stands at 28 individuals, includes politicians, sports officials, law enforcement personnel, notaries, and a fashion designer.
The trial is scheduled to begin on June 13.