The National Judicial Agency has announced in its annual report that the state recovered over MAD 71 million in embezzled public funds in 2022.
Founded in 1928, the National Judicial Agency is in charge of protecting state finances, including reclaiming expenses paid by the state to employees under the Civil and Military Pensions Laws.
These laws allow the agency to seek reimbursement from those responsible for accidents, particularly traffic incidents, and the insurance companies covering these damages.
The agency reported an additional recovery of MAD 1.5 million through friendly settlements with insurance companies.
The agency also highlighted that it saved the state treasury approximately MAD 3.1 billion ($315 million) in 2022 alone.
Over the period from 2018 to 2022, the overall savings amounted to MAD 15.8 billion ($1.6 billion).
The agency managed to transfer MAD 1.5 million ($151,000) back to the state treasury from expenses paid to employees under the pension systems.
It also secured court rulings with a financial impact of MAD 1.9 million ($200,000), including legal interest. The enforcement procedures for these final and enforceable judgments are currently underway.
A United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) review covering 2010 to 2015 found that despite legal criminalization, penalties for embezzlement in the Moroccan private sector were “lenient” and their deterrent effect “might be limited.”