Fes Administrative Court Rules on Compensation for Event Organizer

In a recent judicial ruling, the Administrative Court in Fes has mandated the government to compensate an event organizer approximately 8.47 million dirhams. This decision comes after the organizer filed a lawsuit against the Fes-Meknes region's government for not receiving payment for services rendered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the court ordered the government, represented by the Prime Minister, to pay the plaintiff 7,286,400 dirhams, along with an additional 10,000 dirhams for delays, as well as statutory interest.

In a related case, the court also ruled that the government must pay the organizer another sum of 1,184,150 dirhams, along with a similar compensation for delays. The event organization firm had worked tirelessly during the pandemic, providing meals for security personnel and health workers from March 20, 2020, to June 30 of the same year, and had faced significant difficulties in obtaining their rightful payments.

Background of the Case and Legal Proceedings

Prior to pursuing legal action, the event organizer had filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor at the Fes Court of Appeal, alleging that the head of the procurement department at the Fes-Meknes region was deliberately delaying payments. This complaint led to investigations that uncovered other suspects and hints of corruption within the procurement processes. On October 22, 2025, the Economic Crimes Chamber at the Fes Court of Appeal upheld the initial ruling against key officials, including the head of the budget and procurement department, who was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 100,000 dirhams. Other defendants received sentences ranging from four to eighteen years, highlighting the serious nature of the offenses, which included bribery, embezzlement of public funds, and forgery of official documents.

This ruling not only addresses the financial grievances of the event organizer but also underscores the broader issues of accountability and transparency within governmental procurement processes. The implications of these cases resonate throughout the region, calling for a reevaluation of how public funds are managed and disbursed.

As reported by alhadattv.ma.