Court Proceedings on Building Collapse Case Delayed
In a significant legal proceeding held in Fes, the primary criminal chamber responsible for financial crimes was unable to discuss the case involving 23 defendants related to the tragic collapse of two buildings that resulted in the deaths of 22 individuals and injuries to 16 others. This unfortunate event took place in the Al-Mustaqbala subdivision of the Al-Masira neighborhood in Zawagha. Among the accused are notable political figures, including the local district president from the Independence Party, his deputy from the National Rally of Independents, and a councilor representing the Authenticity and Modernity Party.
The defendants insisted on maintaining their defenses, prompting the presiding judge to once again postpone the trial. The court decided to keep the detained defendants in Bourkaiz prison and denied them any temporary release on legal grounds. This decision underscores the severity of the charges against them, which include bribery, the unlawful delivery or ordering of administrative documents and certificates to individuals who are not entitled to them, and involuntary manslaughter due to negligence.
Some defendants failed to appear in court, leading to the court's decision to summon them again, alongside a judicial representative who was also called upon through the public prosecution. All requests for temporary release were rejected, and the criminal chamber opted to consolidate a new file, submitted to the court on August 31, with the original case against the 23 defendants.
In addition to the district president and his deputy responsible for urban development, the case also includes three local authority officials, one of whom is a retired city elder from three years ago, a court assistant from the primary court in Oujda, construction workers, an unemployed individual, a retired driver, contractors, an employee at the Al-Masira annex, a civil status service officer, and several public secretaries and attorneys.
As reported by aljarida24.ma.
