The Court of First Instance in Benslimane, in central Morocco, convicted four individuals on August 22 for “defrauding” over 200 people who sought to get into Morocco’s government employment program “Awrach.”
The case came to light after the individuals who were defrauded filed a complaint alleging fraud and breach of trust by the “Monde des Enfants” association. They provided a list of complainants and a disk containing the names of those affected.
An investigation revealed that the president of the association and her brother-in-law had advertised to recruit employees pursuant to the government’s “Awrach” program.
They required candidates to submit an ID copy, photos, and a 200 MAD fee for membership in the association. Over 200 people signed up. The recruiters then asked the applicants to open bank accounts to facilitate monthly salary payments of 2,700 MAD.
It was later discovered that some of these individuals had worked without receiving any payment. When the victims sought their wages, the accused had claimed that the national agency “had not disbursed” the necessary funds to pay their wages.
The court sentenced the president of the “Monde des Enfants” association and her brother-in-law, both currently in detention, to three years in prison. The regional delegate for literacy received a two-year prison term, and a private security guard was sentenced to one year.
Each of the defendants was fined 500 MAD and ordered to pay 17,000 MAD in compensation to each of the victims.