University Dean Dismissed Following Sexual Coercion Allegations
The swift decision to dismiss Ahmed Khadem from his position as Dean of the Faculty of Languages at Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech underscores the serious nature of the crisis and scandal engulfing the institution. Azzeddine El Midaoui, the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, has issued a decree for Khadem's immediate removal, a move that reflects the gravity of the situation. Reports indicate that this radical decision comes in the wake of shocking revelations from several compromising audio recordings that suggest a system of sexual coercion in exchange for diploma validations and admissions to selective master's and doctoral programs.
According to Al Akhbar, which reported on June 15, the origins of this scandal stem from a massive leak of voice notes and audio recordings that unveiled explicit exchanges between Khadem, a high-ranking university official, and a student. These recordings reportedly contain insinuations, sexual conversations, and, notably, direct negotiations where the granting of positions in master's and doctoral programs is explicitly linked to the provision of sexual favors, including intimate nights spent in a private apartment or hotel room. Even more damning, Khadem insisted, in these voice notes, that the student pursue her doctoral studies within his faculty, thereby keeping her under his control.
Dean's Defense and Counter-Claims
In his initial reaction to the announcement of his dismissal, Khadem adopted a unique line of defense. He did not deny the authenticity of the recorded voices but vehemently contested their timing and context. He claimed that these recordings date back to 2008 and involved a former student who was undergoing a severe psychological crisis, having left the university for that reason. Khadem maintained that his exchanges, albeit awkward, were intended to assist her in returning to her academic studies, despite her consistent refusals.
Furthermore, Khadem stated that his wife had intercepted the initial call from this student at their home, and he had cut off all contact with her since 2009. He argued that the resurfacing of these recordings eighteen years after the alleged incidents was no coincidence but rather a meticulously orchestrated attempt at political destabilization. He accused a rival professor within the same faculty of retrieving and disseminating these files to tarnish his reputation and sabotage his candidacy for reappointment.
In his defense, Khadem also pointed to a long history of blackmail, asserting that as early as 2012, another student had informed him that a copy of the recordings was circulating on a hard drive owned by a faculty member. He claimed that this student had been manipulated by a network of university opponents from Youssoufia, who were using the content of the hard drive to blackmail him and undermine the administration of the institution.
As the former dean of the Faculty of Languages at Cadi Ayyad University, Khadem asserts that he possesses all evidence and documents refuting the allegations of corruption or favoritism against him. He criticized the interference of certain local NGOs that attempted to exploit the situation to discredit the faculty while obscuring a parallel network of intermediaries profiting from admissions. While declaring his full willingness to cooperate with judicial and academic investigative bodies, Khadem called on Azzeddine El Midaoui to adhere strictly to the law and the impartiality of justice, rather than yielding to pressures stemming from media outrage and public sentiment.
As reported by fr.le360.ma.
