New Developments in the Rashid Faik Case
The defense team of Rashid Faik, a former parliamentarian from the Authenticity and Modernity Party and head of the local council in Oulad Tayeb, Fes, has unveiled new and shocking details regarding allegations involving six political figures. Faik is currently detained and serving an eight-year prison sentence accompanied by a fine of 100,000 dirhams, as issued by the Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeal in Fes. The allegations against him include serious charges such as bribery, forgery of official documents, embezzlement of public funds, and the unlawful granting of construction permits.
During a press conference led by lawyer Mohamed Hassi, the defense disclosed the intricacies of a meeting purportedly held in a parliamentary office involving Faik, the President of the Parliament, Rachid Talbi Alami, and Mustapha Baitas, the Minister in Charge of Relations with Parliament and a key figure in the Authenticity and Modernity Party, along with the current party leader, Mohamed Chouki. According to the lawyer, Talbi Alami addressed Faik with the remark, "We are all on temporary release," before advising him to withdraw from the regional council elections while retaining his parliamentary position. Mustapha Baitas allegedly gave Faik a 48-hour ultimatum to resign, which Faik refused, insisting on his electoral representation that garnered over 31,000 votes.
Allegations of Corruption and Threats
Hassi stated that his client possesses audio recordings that document the meeting's discussions. He suggested that judicial authorities could verify these recordings and analyze the voices of those involved should a legal inquiry be initiated. In a related development, the defense mentioned a previous meeting in Fes between Faik and Mohamed Chouki, attended by the former secretary-general of the Fes provincial authority, which involved a financial transaction of 800 million cents, with Faik reportedly providing 200 million cents as a loan. The defense also presented evidence, including documents and photographs, of a grey car owned by Chouki, which allegedly contained six billion cents in 200 dirham notes intended for distribution.
In response to the allegations made during the press conference, the public prosecutor at the Court of Appeal in Fes released a statement clarifying that the prosecution had promptly reacted to a prior complaint submitted by Faik through his defense on June 23, 2025, which involved claims of extortion and threats of imprisonment during the 2021 electoral campaign. The statement revealed that the Deputy Public Prosecutor personally visited the prison three consecutive times in August 2025 to hear from the complainant and to urge him to substantiate his claims. However, Faik declined to make any statements, citing exhaustion initially, and later requesting to consult with his defense. He also reportedly staged a hunger strike during the third visit.
The public prosecutor's office decided to temporarily shelve the complaint as of August 29, 2025, due to Faik's reluctance to confirm his grievances and the lack of supporting evidence. A subsequent request to lift the complaint from the shelved status was denied on July 14, 2026, due to the absence of new elements. The public prosecutor emphasized that the detailed information raised by the defense during the press conference was not included in the original complaint lodged with the prosecution. He affirmed a commitment to exercise legal powers and continue the investigation based on the recent revelations, ensuring necessary legal consequences follow.
As reported by achkayen.com.
