The Legal Proceedings Against Fes Mayor Abdel Salam Boukali
On October 19, 2026, at 3:43 PM, the appellate criminal chamber at the Court of Appeal in Fes postponed the case involving Fes Mayor Abdel Salam Boukali and former council secretary Soufiane Drissi to November 9, 2026. This delay was granted to allow one of the defendants additional time to appoint legal representation. Boukali and Drissi appeared before the judicial panel to address the appeals accepted by the Court of Cassation against a prior appellate ruling that sentenced each of them to six months of imprisonment. Their case is part of a broader investigation into a network of financial and administrative corruption within the Fes municipality.
Abdel Salam Boukali, a member of the National Rally of Independents party, faces charges for failing to report a felony. Meanwhile, Soufiane Drissi, who previously held the position of secretary of the municipal council, is accused of abusing his influence. This retrial marks a significant development as both defendants are being reviewed by a new judicial body following the Cassation Court's decision.
Involvement of Additional Defendants and Previous Rulings
The retrial process is not limited to Boukali and Drissi; it also encompasses municipal employees who have similarly benefited from the acceptance of appeals against previously rendered appellate judgments. In total, 13 defendants are implicated in this case, which includes municipal officials, contractors, and intermediaries. In June 2024, the appellate criminal chamber at the Fes Court of Appeal annulled the first-instance ruling that acquitted both Boukali and Drissi, instead condemning them to six months of actual imprisonment. Additionally, the sentence for Abdel Qader Bouciri, a former federal parliamentarian and previous deputy mayor of Fes, was increased from five to eight years of imprisonment.
The previous appellate rulings also escalated penalties for several other defendants, including contractors, intermediaries, and municipal employees, while reaffirming certain sentences within the same case. This case involves various criminal acts, including forgery of official documents, misappropriation of public funds, bribery, abuse of influence, and failure to report a felony, with Abdel Qader Bouciri being a prominent figure, previously sentenced to eight years in prison.
As reported by ar.le360.ma.
