The Criminal Chamber at the Casablanca Court of Appeal postponed on Thursday, the hearing of the drug trafficking case, known as the “Sahara Escobar Case,” until September 27.
The case attracted considerable interest given the involvement of high-profile figures such as Said Naciri, former head of Wydad Football Club and former member of the Party of Authenticity and Modernity, and Abdenbi Bioui, President of the Eastern Regional Council.
The postponement follows a request by the defendants’ legal team, due to technical challenges with the courtroom’s speaker system, preventing effective communication during the proceedings.
Despite Judge Ali Torchi’s earlier assertion of the trial’s readiness to proceed, the upcoming hearing will address procedural concerns, allowing the defense to address any irregularities.
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.